Blood Wedding: Persist
by Tiian
Summary: Misao swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.
1. Chapter 01: Swallowed whole

Title: Blood Wedding - Persist

Author: Tiian

Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters/plot taken from Rurouni Kenshin, but OC and the story came from me.

Warning!

In this fic the pairing will be Misao/OC. It is not a permanent pairing, but in this fic it is present. (As you can see, this will be like Dome of Heaven. If I ever write the second part.)

Other: The chapters will be rated separately. So while PG-13 is the chosen rating each chapter is also rated according to its content.

* * *

Chapter 01: Swallowed whole

Rating: PG-PG13

**A single grain can tip the scale  
Amidst the burden the scale will prevail  
Showing whats worth being here  
Storyteller by a hearth of stone**

**Nightwish – Once – Live to tell the Tale  
**

* * *

**  
**She knew it.

She knew that finding Aoshi was hard. Near impossible. He was after all one of the best ninja in history. Smart, strong and quiet, all qualities very much appreciated in a person. He had earned the trust of men twice his age easily and shown what he was capable of to those who followed him and those he followed.

Misao had seen it. She had been young, but she could never forget him. Or stop loving him, missing him. After many years of considering, she had finally started her search. He had left her behind, but she refused to let things remain that way. She would find him.

At the age of 11 she had left for the first time. The journey had been short-lived as she had been captured by other Oniwabanshu members. They had been angry at her for leaving like that. For the next year she had been watched very carefully and her every chance at leaving was quickly erased. She had hated it and had made her opinion clear. When she turned 12, everyone seemed to think that she had grown up and forgot her search. No such thing had happened and she had run away again. This time she managed not to be caught, learning from her past experience.

She had been gone for a month before finally returning, defeated. She had been unable to find him. She had not given up though, no matter how much she was preached at the time. Okina seemed to understand this and so he made it clear that she could leave as long as she prepared herself and took necessarily precautions. After that, she always informed them when she left. It was dangerous for a young woman like herself to be alone, but she was strong enough to defeat common bandits and men. She had learned to use that as a way to earn money when she was running low. She never stole from honest men to keep herself at least partially clean.

At the moment, she was once again on one of her journeys. She had been doing this for years now and so she knew how and where she could get information. Still it was incredibly hard. They were ninja and ninja never revealed more than they had to. She had been tracing their steps only to find out that they were faked. Again.

She had yelled out her frustration then, startling many people around her. She had learned more, she had grown older and a little bit wiser. But her temper remained the same. She was 14, nearing her 15th birthday. She should have been able to avoid attracting attention by now, but no. It was a skill she had yet to learn.

She pulled her hair from her face and looked around. The sun was setting and she knew that soon it was time to go to sleep. She wanted to wake up early well rested. The problem was that she didn't have much money, hardly enough for food, definitely not enough for an inn. _Forest it is then._ She sighed and headed towards the exit of the small village. The village had been the place where she had finally understood that she had been following fake traces. "Damn it!" She yelled and again many faces turned to her. She ignored them all and headed towards the forest with stubborn steps.

Then she heard laugher. Swiftly she turned her head to her left and saw a short man sitting on a bench near one of the houses. His eyes were on her and he was laughing. Misao felt her anger rise and stomped over to the man.

"What the heck are you laughing at?!" She yelled before she had even reached him. The man was laughing harder now.

Now that she was closer to him, she saw that he wasn't Japanese. His features were close to pure Japanese, but something in his face didn't fit. Perhaps it was his pure blue eyes that stood out too much. She couldn't really tell, but in her angered state, she didn't spare it another thought.

The man was now smiling at her and she had to admit that he was cute. Not handsome like her Aoshi-sama, but his young features were without a doubt attractive.

"You." He said. "It has been a long time since someone has been able to amuse me this much." He was smiling brightly at her and she felt her fist clench. With a cry she tried to hit him, but he was too quick. In a flash he had dodged it, laughing again. "My, my. What a temper you possess." He held his arms up.

_What...? Fast._ Misao thought and looked at the boy more carefully now. He was around 17 if she judged correctly. He wore a common Japanese clothing, black hakama and white gi. He had no weapons on him even though he was wearing clothes she mostly saw on fighters at a dojo. Once she had heard that in the past many men had walked along the streets in those cloths. Now new fashion was spreading from the west.

But nothing she saw was enough to discourage her. "Ha! So you know something." She laughed. "I underestimated you. The next attack---" She raised her fists. "—you won't dodge so easily."

The man blinked and waved his hands. "No, no. I have no intentions of fighting you. I was just admiring your spirit, that's all." He said and Misao frowned.

No one had ever said anything like that to her. No stranger at least. She had no idea how to react at being praised by someone she didn't know. Without really realizing it, her stance loosened. Was he serious?

"Oh... Well, you are in luck! I will spare you this time!" She said trying to get the confusion out of her voice. The man merely nodded with a smile and Misao frowned.

Giving him one more look, she turned and resumed her journey towards the woods. Outside no one would notice the difference, but inside Misao was confused. No one had ever admired her. Of course others at the Aoiya had praised her, but no one had ever admired anything in her. It felt good.

A small smile rose to her lips, soon spearing into a wide one. "Alright!" She yelled and started to jog feeling a lot more energized. The bag she had with her kept hitting her back in the same rhythm as her steps hit the ground.

The sun had set and the forest was dark, but her eyes got used to it soon enough. She jumped over the roots and leafs crumbled under her feet. Her eyes searched for a suitable place to sleep. She hated sleeping on the ground but she had no other choice.

Finally she stopped under a large tree. The roots were sticking from the ground and soon she found a nice place between two large roots. She pulled her hood from her back and spread it there. Another she used as coverage. She lay on her back, hands behind her head and stared at the sky. Or the little she could see from behind the leaves. She smiled a little.

She would find Aoshi-sama. This track may have been a wrong one, but the next one would certainly lead her to him. She would see him again. Nothing could stop her!

Yawning she closed her eyes. Little by little her hearing got better and better. The trees were silent, no creature made any voices. It was so silent that it bothered her. She was used to sounds. The lack of all made her uneasy_. I miss the Aoiya._ There was never a silent moment. The sounds of the city were always present.

She was almost asleep already when her ears moved at a sudden sound and her eyes shot open. It was far. Just a little sound. _Probably some animal._ She moved a little and closed her eyes.

It didn't take long before she heard something again. Even a smallest sound was clear because everything was so quiet. Too quiet and the sound was louder now. Her heart thumped in her chest, partially clouding her hearing. She cursed herself for being so tense. She was a ninja after all. No matter what came at her, she could deal with it. So why was she so uneasy? Why was her heart racing so? Why did her senses yell at her to run? It was just sound every animal could make.

She stayed still. The sounds were now multiplied and they were closer. Soon she realized that they were steps. Many steps. People were getting close to her. No animal could make such sounds. And who walked in a forest at this hour?

Her hand sneaked behind her back and grasped a kunai. Her fist clenched around it. They were closer now, much too close. And even now she had not heard anything but their steps. Not a word had escaped their lips and that worried Misao much more. They were too quiet.

Her muscles were clenching and her eyes darted in the darkness. She couldn't see anyone, but the sounds were close now. Her ears twitched at every sound, trying to move like animals. Her eyes widened as she to her horror realized that she was hearing sounds from both left and right.

Slowly, trying not to make a sound she stood up and reached for another kunai. Her breathing had grown faster and she could feel a little panicky. This was unreal. Why didn't they make a sound? Why didn't they speak?

She leaned against the tree knowing that this way she didn't have to worry about having eyes on her back. The sounds were clear now and she knew that it wouldn't take long for them to arrive. Her hand clenched and she focused on seeing them before they could see her. Some sweat run down the side of her face tickling her skin as it went, but she didn't have the luxury of time to wipe it away. They were here.

She had heard the steps and judged that there would be two on her left and another two on her right side. She was wrong. Three men appeared first from her left side, their eyes immediately on her. They knew she was here, they saw her. Two of them were pretty much the same height and the last was a little bit shorter. The shortest had a short hair, while the tall ones that looked identical and both had hair that reached their shoulders.

It was a small sound from her right that alerted her. She had been so focused on the first ones to appear that she had forgotten her right side. Two men appeared from the forest and they were far closer to her than the three that had appeared first. The other man was tall and the other short but both were staring at her. Both had hair that almost reached their bottoms. They too looked a lot alike, siblings she would guess.

"Just one? And so small..." The taller of the men on her right asked, obviously disappointed.

The other one of the identical brothers snorted. "That is better than nothing. He is here so we have to careful. There is no way we can attack the city like before."

The tall man snorted, but didn't say anything,

Misao had watched them silently her heart thumping so fast that it almost hurt. They were completely ignoring her even though they probably spoke of her. "Who the hell are you?" She finally managed to say, but her voice was so quiet she hardly heard it herself. _Why? Why am I so afraid?_ Her hands clenched. The twins both had a sword on their waist. _Is that why? No... I have defeated men with swords before too._

Her words had attracted their attention and now that they were all watching her, she knew why. They had cold eyes and the power of their gaze was equal to a well trained swordsman. There was also horrible hunger in their eyes and she found herself shaking. They were... too powerful!

She whimpered.

And then she blinked. _Did I just... How can I sound so pathetic?_ She blinked. _If a mere look is enough to beat me... how can I ever be of any help to Aoshi-sama?_

_Aoshi-sama..._

Images flashed across her head. She remembered so much of him, more than of anything else. She had seen him commanding men, she had seen him giving instructions, she had seen him training. She had seen his strength. He would never make a pathetic sound like she just did. He would not!

Her hold of kunai suddenly loosened and her body naturally took the stance Hannya had taken a lot of time to teach. She was still afraid. Their stares were scary and a large part of her wanted to either run or curl up and cry. But a small part remembered all she had been taught. Small part of her, perhaps the truest piece of her soul refused to succumb. It took over and washed her fear to the background.

The tall man laughed. "Does that little girl actually think that she can defeat us?" said the shorter man on her left.

"I am not a little girl. I am Makimachi Misao." Misao said loudly. "And I will not bow before you! Never!" Her anger rose, overriding the remains of her fear. Her eyes were serious and she was prepared for an attack.

The man that had just spoken shook his head. "There is no need for you to bow." The man turned to her and walked closer. "All you need to do is to die!" The man opened his eyes wide and Misao stared in disbelief. His eyes were red. "What the heck is going on?!"

The man laughed and Misao saw something she didn't want to. Sharpened teeth. This man had purposely filed his teeth sharp.

Suddenly with a surprising speed the taller man attacked her and she jumped. It was more of a reflex than anything. High in a beautiful arc over him, she landed behind him and threw her kunai. The man dodged it skillfully snatching it from the air as it flew past him. Misao didn't have the time to see this as the other man on her right had also launched an attack. She stepped towards him which surprised the other man. While he was momentarily frozen, she flipped backwards her feet hitting the man's chin. He groaned and took a step backwards. "Bitch." He also looked at her with red eyes. _What the heck is wrong with there people?!_ Also her kick had done a lot less damage than she had expected.

She run past the man to make sure that she could see them all and counter they attack accordingly. Her eyes darted from left to right. The twins with the swords and the man with them had not moved at all. The ones to charge at her were the ones that originally came at her from her right side.

She dodged the hit of the tall man by ducking low and she swept her feet along the ground aiming for the man's feet. Just as her hit was about to connect the man jumped and she hit mere air. _Shit!_

She quickly rolled out of the way, but then she felt a tug on her hair. With horror she realized that the shorter had taken a hold of her braid. Her head snapped back as he pulled and she made a small sound. Her hand sneaked inside her obi and pulled two kunais. With a scream she embedded them to the man's arm. He screamed and released her hair. She run forward away from the man, but by now the taller had already joined the action and she found herself flying in the air as his kick hit her stomach. It hurt like hell and then she hit the ground.

She groaned, her hands covering her stomach. The men were approaching her and so she tried to stand, but the pain was so great she knew that he had somehow managed to break one of her lower ribs. She knew that she wouldn't get up in time and so she pulled more kunai and threw them at the men with a defiant scream. The tall man managed to dodge them, but the shorter one got hit by two, one hit his shoulder and the other his chest. The man screamed but somehow she got the idea that it was not because he was pained, but because he was frustrated. He ripped the kunais off. "She is mine!" He said and his red eyes gleamed. His lips formed a smiled and his long teeth were revealed.

Misao tried to back away but the man was too close. He gripped her by her front and pulled her high into the air. Misao knew that she wasn't heavy, but he had to be strong to lift her without any effort. _I am so screwed._ Her eyes were focused on the other man's red eyes. _I need to find a way out of this mess!_ She tried to kick the man, but as she tried her broken rib made her grimace in pain. She tried to pry his hands open, but she could not. He had an iron grip.

"Yours? Why don't we share?" The tall man asked and Misao could detect a little bit of anger.

"Because she managed to hit me. So she is mine!" The man holding her yelled at the other one. "We can find another one for you but this one is mine!"

The tall man sighed. "Fine, but we better find one quickly. I am hungry." The short one nodded and then all of his attention was on Misao again.

"After all this trouble... You better taste good!"

Misao's eyes widened. _Taste? What is he talking about?_ She made her last attempts at freedom by overcoming the pain and kicking the man with all she had. Her kick connected and the man winced, but he didn't seem hurt. "After all that, this is all you have?" He grinned and lowered her so that her feet reached the ground. Misao breathed deeply as fresh air was finally within her reach. The hold he had had, had almost strangled her. Her relief was short lived as he grasped her clothing and pulled it to her shoulders. She didn't even have time to scream before he had bitten her.

Her mouth was open but no sound came out. The man's bite hurt like hell and she felt drained. She tried to lift her hand to push him away but no matter how hard she tried, it would not move. Power was leaving her so fast she didn't think it was possible. Her vision grew blurry, her body weak and her thoughts slow and unfocused. She was losing her touch of reality and a small part of her knew that if she lost that, she would die. But she was helpless. There was nothing she could do anymore. It was not like her to give, but she had done everything she could. Even now as she tried to move, it was impossible no matter how much she tried. She was getting too sleepy.

The pressure on her neck left and she heard sounds and screams. She hardly felt the bang as her body hit the ground. Nothing made sense anymore and all she could see was the grass she was laying on. She had heard similar sounds in a dojo, the sounds of fighting. Screams and bodies hitting the ground. But who was fighting...?

Her eyes were closing, but she fought it with everything she had. She had a mission she needed to complete. She needed to find her Aoshi-sama, she couldn't afford to fall asleep.

Someone was moving her, turning her around and pulling her close. She blinked to clear her vision, but all she saw was pair of clear blue eyes.

"Come on! Hold on for a little bit longer! You need to answer a question!" A male voice was shouting and the order in it was so strong that her half closed eyes opened. A hand was on her neck and kept her head from falling back. She no longer had the strength to keep on looking at the man.

"No matter what, no matter in what form, do you want to keep on living?" The man asked and Misao tried to make sense of it. Live... Yes, she wanted to live.

"Do you have something you need to accomplish no matter what? No matter what the cost would be for being able to live?" There was hurry in the voice and Misao pulled all her strength together to one focused moment.

"Ao-shi-sa-ma... I...need...to..." She didn't have strength for anymore words, but this seemed enough for the man. He pulled her close and she felt the same pressure on her neck as before, but it didn't last for longer than few seconds.

She fought to keep her eyes open but she simply didn't have the strength anymore and they closed. She felt that she was laid on her back and something liquid was dropped into her mouth and it moved down to her throat. She wanted to cough but she didn't have the strength. Everything was spinning and she felt cold.

Then...

Everything was...so peaceful.


	2. Chapter 02: Confusion

Title: Blood Wedding - Persist

Author: Tiian

Summary:

She swore she would find him. But as she turned it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

Disclaimer:

I don't own the characters/plot taken from Rurouni Kenshin, but OC and the story came from me.

Warning!

In this fic the pairing will be Misao/OC. It is not a permanent pairing, but in this fic it is present. (As you can see, this will be like Dome of Heaven. If I will ever write the second part. I am not sure yet.)

Other: The chapters will be rated separately. So while PG-13 is the chosen rating each chapter is also rated according to its content.

* * *

Chapter 02: Confusion

Rating: PG-PG13

**The story behind the painting I drew is already told  
No more tearstains on the pages of my diary  
Tired but unable to give up since Im  
Responsible for the lives I saved**

**Nightwish – Once – Dead Gardens  
**

* * *

At first everything was black, but slowly she began to see light again. It was shining dot of light consisting only power and life. She reached for it and slowly it moved closer. Closer...

Suddenly the light filled her and she could feel herself burning. Too much...

Too much power...

Her skin was burning, her eyes were burning. She tried to find safety from the cold peaceful darkness but it was gone now. She screamed as she burned.

The light disappeared. She was twitching but the pain left soon as if it had never been there before. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked. She was standing in a garden of a house she had never seen before. It was a Japanese house and the flowers she saw around her were familiar even though she didn't remember their names. She looked more carefully. The house was tall meaning that it had at least two floors. It looked familiar now that she looked more carefully.

She stepped closer and suddenly the world seemed to spin. She blinked and looked again. The house was covered in red. The dark red liquid was flowing slowly on the floors and dripping from windows. It was gathering to be a huge wave and it was heading towards her. She closed her eyes and raised her hands to protect herself but nothing touched her.

She opened her eyes to see the same house again without the red stains. She sighed in relief and then looked down. Her eyes widened as she saw her own hands. The red liquid was dripping from them, her entire hands covered in it. Her hands started to shake and she tried to clean it on her clothes. That was when she noticed that her clothes were drenched. The same dark red color stained her. She looked up to see the most horrifying sight yet. Her eyes widened and few drops of tears fell.

The house was no longer inhabited. Bodies of humans were lying scattered around and the same red liquid was flowing from their still forms. Suddenly she knew. She knew them all just as she knew that she had killed them. All of them.

She screamed.

* * *

It felt strange.

It was dark and cold just like before the light had swallowed her. Something was trying to drag her out of the world she was in. It was like she was asleep and something nagged her to wake up. It felt the same, but it was different.

Slowly she began to hear and the sound of fire burning reached her ears. Soon she began to feel. The coldness dispersed and it was warm, most coming from her right, the same side as the noises. She was lying on something soft, but she could feel the hardness under it. Something was over her, she could feel the weight.

The next to awaken was her nose. There was the smell of smoke from the fire and then there was something else, or someone else. A scent she for some reason combined with a man. Her face turned into a frown and she opened her eyes. Everything was blurry and she blinked.

Once.  
Twice.  
Third time and she began to see a little more.  
A wooden roof. Light coming from her right side.

She tried to move, but her every limb felt heavy. She was tired and suddenly hungry too. Her body was aching a little and she tried to remember what had happened. It was hard. Everything was so messed up in her head.

With an effort she cleared her head and chose one point, one memory, to continue remembering from. She had been trying to find Aoshi. She had walked through a town. She had met a strange boy. Then she had went to the forest and laid down to rest. She had been attacked. She had been defeated. They had done something and she had fallen. Another person had appeared and blue-eyed person had spoken to her. After that she only remembered darkness and a strange dream.

She felt a little stronger now, the feelings returning to her. She turned her head right and saw that she was lying before a fireplace where wood was burning merrily. No wonder she felt warm on the outside.

But on the inside she felt cold. Cold and empty. As if something had sucked all from her and left her dry in the cold nothingness.

She turned to her left. Only a little bit from her was an armchair and there was a man sitting on it. She could see his bare feet, black hakama and as she looked up his white gi, short slightly curly black hair. He was reading a big book with brown cover, his blue eyes looking at it intently.

Misao frowned. She knew him. It was the same boy she had met before at the village. But now as she looked, he looked different. He looked more mature and as Misao kept watching, her breathing got faster. Something drew her. Something she had never felt before, something she couldn't recognize.

His face, his eyes, his mouth, his hands... They all drew her. Images flashed through her head. Images that she had never thought before, him covering her, touching and kissing her. She tried to shake the thoughts of but they lingered. Her hand moved without her ordering it to. She was reaching out to him and that was when he noticed her to be awake.

He lifted his eyes from the book and gave her a small smile. He stood up and then sat on his knees next to her. The book he put down on the chair.

"How are you feeling?" He asked and touched her cheek with the back of his hand. His hand was warm and his touch gentle. "A little cold. Well, that can't be helped."

A mere touch awakened feelings in her, feelings she had never experienced before. It was becoming painful to feel. When he was lifting his hand she gripped it tightly. He looked surprised.

Her breaths moved in small gasps as she pulled. She didn't know why she was doing this or what she intended, but she could not stop it. She was watching in slow motion as he fell over her, looking very surprised. She pushed herself up since it seemed that he caught himself in time to stop the fall. Her eyes were on his lips and she reached until her lips were on his. Then she bit.

The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth and all her senses went wild. She sucked more, more of the delicious substance. Then he pushed her away and she fell down. Her hands were shaking, her entire body was shaking. She wanted more. She needed more. She looked and saw him licking a drop of blood from his lips. Why? Why did he get to take that drop? Why when she needed it so much? Needed it so much.

She tried pushing herself up to him again but he stopped her by pushing her down with his hand. Her eyes were now focused on his arm and the red veins she could almost see. They were there, filled with what she yearned for. She gripped the hand and tried to pull them to her mouth but he was too strong.

"Calm down."

It was just two words. Just two words and yet she felt them echoing in her. The voice was calm and soothing and it rang inside her head. Her grip loosened and he pulled his hand free.

"Good girl." He said with a smile and feeling his satisfaction she felt like smiling. Somehow the hunger and yearning eased a little, but didn't disappear. More than easing, she thought that now for the first time since awakening she had some control over herself. Not much and she felt that too slipping from her.

"Now. Tell me the name of the person you love the most." The boy said and there was a silent command in his voice. The command reached her and she did as she was told.

"Aoshi-sama." She said without any hesitation and he sighed looking very relieved. After she realized what she had just said, she blinked. She frowned and tried her hardest to concentrate on the name she had said and all her memories and emotions connected to it. Slowly the strange feelings were pushed to the background. The hunger was still there, but she suppressed it.

"Good." The boy said and gave her a wide smile. "You are yourself."

"What?" She frowned and shook her head to clear her head. Before he had a change to say anything, she had already continued. "Who are you?" Her throat still felt dry, but it was not so dry that speaking would be painful.

"I am Sho." The man answered and held out his hand. "You are?" He was smiling.

"Misao. Makimachi Misao." She answered feeling a little strange. She stared at his hand, why was he giving it to her? _Oh yeah. Foreigners do that._ She took the hand hesitantly and after a quick squeeze, released it. His hand had been very warm and the thoughts it aroused in her made her uncomfortable. She never used to have these kinds of thoughts, the kind that made Okon and Omasu giggle and blush.

Also the hunger it awakened in her scared her. She had felt the veins and the feelings she experienced now made her uncomfortable. Something was not right.

She moved, trying to stand up but everything swayed and she fell back down. She felt him steadying her. "You are not strong enough to move around yet." He said gently but she wasn't listening because she had just noticed something. While falling down her teeth had hit her lips little and what she had felt was not something she was used to. Her eyes were wide as she lifted her shaking hand to her mouth. Now she could feel it, the constant thumping in her mouth, in her gums. She opened her mouth and felt it with her fingers. Two, two points were aching most and as she traced it with her fingers, her eyes widened with fear.

She turned to the boy to see that he was no longer looking at her. The smile had disappeared and his eyes held such pain and quilt that she felt ill. "I am sorry..." He whispered without looking at her and her hands twitched.

"Why?" She was getting worried. She had known since she had woken up that something was wrong. Her thoughts and her actions had clearly indicated that. Even now she felt as if someone was trying to take over her body, someone completely stranger to her. And now her teeth... "What...What is wrong with me?"

He was silent, facing the floor rather than her face. Her hands began to shake as fear filled her. She reached for him and he dodged the contact still looking away from her. Her entire body was shaking now. "What is wrong with me?" She asked shakily. Sho kept his back turned to her. "What has happened to me?!" She screamed and tears of desperation formed in her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

"You died." Sho finally said quietly and turned to face her almost reluctantly. "I defeated the men, but I didn't arrive in time to save you." He walked to her and took a hold of her shaking hands. When his eyes met hers, he looked at her with firm resolution and sadness. She shook her head then.

"No! That is not possible! Dead? How could I be here then?!" She yelled and her voice was desperate and her eyes held in themselves fear. She knew already. She knew that his words were true. She remembered the feeling of dying and the darkness so deep she felt desperate just thinking about it.

He took her hand and placed it on her chest. Her eyes widened and then she screamed. Her eyes were dilated and she was breathing in shorts gasps. She could feel the warmth of his skin, the roughness of her clothes, but she could not feel her own heart beating. There was nothing.

She felt sick.

Her stomach lurched and she covered her mouth with her hand, other she pulled from him and rested it on her stomach. The sickness didn't leave and after few nauseous seconds she threw up. Acids burned her throat and her eyes watered. She could feel his hand gently pulling her hair out of the way but it was a distant feeling.

Her tears fell down her face and on the floor. All strength she had had before had now left her. She didn't care to even try to stop her fall as her limbs went limp and she started to fall. He caught her in an instant and pulled her into his arms where she continued to sob.

She was barely aware of his arm around her and the body she leaned against. His other hand was gently caressing her hair and he was whispering small, meaningless words to comfort her. All was lost to her and the tears continued to fall as she stared at the chair he had sat on without really seeing it. She had entered state where all that was around her was meaningless, all she felt was her own misery.

She was cutting herself on the inside, dark thoughts consuming her until finally he whispered a small word that took over. "Sleep." His breath caressed her cheek and his words her mind. And she slept.

* * *

He watched as her eyes slowly slid shut and the tears stopped. Her body calmed down and went still. He felt like crying himself. He could feel her with every cell of his body, every portion of his mind and even in his heart. He knew that there was no easy way, she would have to walk through thorns and feel the pain of each stab.

He allowed his hand to continue running down her arm. She was so small, so young and she had been so lively. He knew that she had managed to rise with her soul, but would she be able to keep it? There was only the hard way.

He pressed a small kiss upon her head and then lifted her gently in his arms. She had dirtied herself too when she had vomited and he needed to clean it before she would wake up again. Of course he could make her sleep again, but she really needed to eat something. Or rather drink.

He looked down and her peaceful face almost broke his heart. If only he had been there a little bit earlier... He sighed. It was past now. He could not change it anymore. But he could give her freedom. He could take this false life from her...

He shook his head. Not now. He could not make the decision based on her first reaction. Later... If she wanted he would take it from her.

He walked to the bathroom and laid her gently on the wooden floor. He kneeled before her and noticed that her chest rose and fell as she breathed. He almost smiled as he tugged one stray hair behind her ear. Then he stood up and left to the well. One bucket at a time he pulled water up and took it to the bathtub. Then he lit the fire under it from the outside. While the fire burned and warmed the water he cleaned the floor inside.

Occasionally he checked on the fire and Misao. When the water had warmed enough he pulled Misao to him. She was still asleep and he knew that she would not wake up. Gently he undid her obi and pulled her shirt from her skin. Then he pulled away her shorts before undoing the strapping from her chest. While a part of him was tempted and wanted to stop to look at her in her naked state, the more decent part just lifted her up and placed into the warm water. Gently he pulled her braid to him making sure that her head stayed above the water. He undid it and tried to brush it with his fingers.

After making sure that she would stay above the water and took her clothes to the bucket he had left outside. He added a little bit soap into the water and then pushed her clothes into it. Leaving them to soak he returned to her with a towel.

Placing the towel on the floor he took soap and cleaned her body of all dirt, including her vomit. After he decided she was clean enough he pulled her from the tub and wrapped the towel around her. Her hair was dripping water and he tried to dry it best he could, but since it was so long, he couldn't do much.

He lifted her up and carried her back inside the house. Unlike before now he laid her gently on a futon on the bedroom. He pulled the towel from her and wrapped it around her head. She was smaller than he was and so she seemed to disappear inside the light-blue yukata he put on her. He took the blanket and covered her with it.

Then he simply sat down and watched her.

Her eyes were closed, her face was calm. Her long dark hair pooled around her and the blanket moved according to her breathing. Nothing in her hinted that she was dead. She looked alive even if she was a little pale. Touching her revealed her. She was cold and she would remain cold until she drank. Only blood could warm her.

When he had seen her in the town he had been happy. Most women of this age succumbed to men and the order of society. She had been different. She had been so full of life, so uncaring towards the rules of society and classes. Filled with energy and eyes showing her inner strength, she had completely charmed him. In few moments she had managed to affect him so much, more than he had thought possible.

He reached out to touch her, but stopped few centimeters from her face. He hesitated and then pulled back his hand with a sigh. What right did he have to touch her? He had been unable to protect her, to save her.

She didn't deserve this fate.

He sighed and brushed his hair away from his face. He had hesitated and that had caused this. He had hesitated because of what he was and now it was her fate as well. He should have just followed her like he had intended, without hesitation. She had charmed him and now he feared she had lost her charm. Because of him.

He wished he had killed the men who did this to her slower. He wished he had torn them apart and splattered their blood around the forest. Plucked their eyes from their sockets, broke each and every bone in their body... But he had not had the time. She had been dying and he didn't want any of them fleeing. So they died faster than they earned.

He blamed himself for not following her like he had wanted to, but he knew that this was not his fault. He couldn't have known they were there hunting.

He had really wanted to get to know her, this girl who was so different from others. He just wished that he had done the right choice when he had turned her. Her first reaction was not promising. At least it didn't seem promising. Since he had never before turned anyone, he didn't know what he should expect. His own awakening had been so long ago that he hardly remembered it anymore. Also the situation had been different. He had known what was happening while she had no idea.

He sighed and pushed himself up. He was reluctant to leave her side, he didn't want her to awaken alone. But her clothes were still in the bucket and he needed to wash them.

She looked so peaceful now, but he knew that the desperation would return when she woke up. He could not keep her asleep forever. With one last look he turned and walked from the room.

_So unfair..._

He sighed and then walked back outside to notice that it had started raining. He walked to the fire he had started earlier and noticed that it had burned all wood he had fed it with and then died.

The water fell from sky like tears and every drop created small circles in the water inside the bucket. His clothes were slowly getting wet and the air was cold. But it didn't matter to him.

He washed the clothes and then changed the water to clear the soap from the fabric. He emptied the bucket and took the clothes inside with him. There was no way they would dry outside when it rained.

Inside he laid the clothes before the fireplace and added some wood to the fire to keep it burning. Then he went to the bedroom to change his clothes.

As he entered the room he immediately sought her out and stopped to look at her. Nothing had changed, she was still asleep. For some time he merely gazed at her before continuing deeper into the room. From a closet he took new clothes, yukata this time and changed into it swiftly. It was deep blue, almost black. He had always liked the color. His hair was dripping water on his shoulders but it didn't bother him.

He turned back to her, almost wishing that she was awake again even if it meant that reality would touch her again and make her miserable. But her eyes remained closed as if she intended to sleep for eternity.

He sighed and took his wet clothes. With them he exited the room and walked to the fireplace. He placed his clothes next to hers noting how much more space they took compared to hers. Well, he had to admit that she didn't have much on her. Her legs were mostly exposed as well as her arms. She either didn't understand what decency meant or ignored it.

The fire burned and he stared at it getting lost in the dance of the flames. They were always happy even though their lives were short and sad. They could only live by taking the life from others with their hurtful touch.

Raindrops sounded as the hit the ceiling and the flames continued their dance.

* * *

Reviews:

HitokiriSky: Thank you for the review. Misao can be damsel in distress but only against people way above her level. And Misao is heck of a strong woman! I really admire her.

And I must say that I agree with you about the reviews. When I review, I make it good. If there is something I think is wrong I dare to say it. I review rarely, but when I do I try to get more to it than "I love this fic! Write more soon!".


	3. Chapter 03: Anguish

Title: Blood Wedding - Persist

Author: Tiian

Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters/plot taken from Rurouni Kenshin, but OC and the story came from me.  
  
!!!Warning!!! In this fic the pairing will be Misao/OC. It is not a permanent pairing, but in this fic it is present. (As you can see, this will be like Dome of Heaven. If I will ever write the second part. I am not sure yet.)

Other: The chapters will be rated separately. So while PG-13 is the chosen rating each chapter is also rated according to its content.

* * *

Chapter 03: Anguish  
Rating: PG-PG13

**Oh how I wish  
For soothing rain  
All I wish is to dream again  
My loving heart  
Lost in the dark  
For hope I'd give my everything**

**Nightwish – Once – Nemo  
**

She didn't know what woke her up. Perhaps it was the rain that continued hitting the roof and windows with steady rhythm. Perhaps it was a sound from other room that she had already forgotten she even heard. She didn't know what woke her but now she was awake and no matter how hard she tried, she could no longer reach the blessed oblivion of sleep.

Slowly she opened her eyes and her gaze focused on the wooden ceiling. She blinked couple of times to clear her vision. She was still feeling sleepy but already now she could feel her hunger.

It was that hunger that reminded her of what had been going on before she fell asleep. Her stomach lurched dangerously but the need to vomit never came. A tear dropped from her eye and a gentle touch wiped it away. She startled and turned her head alarmed.

The man, who called himself Sho if she remembered correctly, was sitting next to her. She hadn't even noticed him before he had touched her. Now as he pulled his hand back and she looked, she couldn't quite understand the look on his face. It seemed to be a mixture of many things, but slowly they all disappeared from his face and he merely looked calm.

There was a long silence in the room. She didn't speak and he too remained silent, both merely watched each other. He looked very young and at the moment, Misao noted, somehow vulnerable too. And as she watched, her hunger increased and it scared her. The truth was that she was too scared to speak, to ask.

What was going on?  
If she was dead, why did she linger in this world?  
Was any of this real?  
And most of all she feared to ask what she hungered for...

The desperation rose in waves and her eyes burned with unshed tears. Her hands clenched and the pain her fingers caused when they tore her flesh stopped the tears from falling.

She didn't even notice that he had reached for her before his warm hands took her cold ones. She startled and focused her eyes on him. He was looking at their hands and she could feel him prying her fist open.

"It is okay to cry." He said quietly and immediately after he had spoken, the first tear fell. Then the next one fell. And they fell until she was sobbing miserably. She had never cried before a stranger before this had happened and now all she could do was cry and search for comfort.

He reached and she took the chance. Burying herself into his warm arms she continued crying. He caressed her hair tenderly as she shook in his arms.

On some level she understood what was happening to her. But she knew that there was more, much more. Things she didn't yet know. And she feared finding out for she knew that they would shatter her. Feared leaving his arms, the only place she felt safe anymore. But slowly her tears run out and she calmed a little, still hanging onto his yukata's front. He wiped the tears that clung to her skin and rocked her gently.

She was afraid to move because she knew that once she took even one step forward, moved just a little, things would move on again. And she didn't know if she could handle it. The truth would be worse than she could imagine, she knew. She remembered the men who attacked her, their red eyes and sharp teeth. The bite. Yes, she knew that she didn't want to find out what was going on.

But...

She was getting hungrier. And the hungrier she got, that much harder it was to think. She desired things that made her feel ill, inhuman even though she didn't know what it was. She didn't want to feel the desires, but she didn't know if she could stop them from taking over. To live only for the fulfillment of desires, wishes...

"Have you calmed a little?" He asked gently, tearing her from her thoughts. She nodded into his chest, not risking speaking.

"Good. There are things you need to know and the sooner the better."

Her hands clenched. She didn't want to hear him. She didn't want to know. She wanted to push him away and run away from him, from the truth in his words. But she didn't have the strength. She knew that even standing up would take effort and he would catch her in an instance. She couldn't do anything and he continued mercilessly.

"You must have many questions." He said quietly, his voice gently and his hand caressing her to keep her calm. "I try to tell the answer to all, but feel free to ask anything at any time."

Her hands tightened the hold. Her eyes closed and she tried desperately to make her fears disappear. But the harder she tried, the more scared she became. She tried to calm her breathing, but she knew that he could sense her gasping for air. It didn't stop him from continuing.

"I told you that you died. That isn't exactly correct." Sho said and his hand stopped for a second before it resuming the gentle caressing. "You are not alive, but you are not dead either. I am like that too." He explained, his voice calm and reassuring. Misao heard it but it was not enough to quiet her fears. The worst was still waiting for her, she knew it. She could sense it. It was something he dreaded to tell her.

Still he continued his tale. "Since we are not alive, we cannot be called human. People in the west call us vampires. In Japanese that is Kyoketsuki. Turning you into one was the only way to keep you in this world, keep you from death."

"Why...?" She whispered quietly. She tried to ask the rest but her fear blocked the words. She wanted to know and yet she feared it so much she couldn't force her body to speak. She was frozen even though her body shook slightly.

Sho was quiet. He was probably waiting that she finished the question, but she couldn't. Instead she found herself hoping that he wouldn't continue at all. It was cowardly, she knew. But she didn't want to know anything anymore. She wanted to return to the peace sleep offered to her.

"I don't know." Sho whispered and she froze. "I just... couldn't bear the thought of you dying and leaving this world completely."

She took a deep breath and gulped. He had known. He had known what she had both wanted to know and feared to know. He didn't have an answer. He didn't... Tears of despair gathered in her eyes. Was there any meaning to this all?

"And so I asked." He said and Misao froze. _Asked?_ She frowned and the tear that had been gathering in her eye fell down her cheek alone. She had tried to avoid the pits and pieces of memory she remembered. She didn't really want to recall any of it for she feared what she might understand from her memory, but she needed to know what he was talking about. She turned to look at him.

He was watching her now, his hand stilled and eyes searching through hers. He hesitated before he spoke, she could sense it. "Do you remember?" The hesitation and even fear was in his voice. Why, she didn't understand, but he had asked a question and was clearly waiting for an answer. She didn't want to know and remember, but the look in his eyes, mixture of anxious waiting and dread, forced her to try harder. For some reason she didn't want to let him down. So she squeezed her eyes shut to try and remember as much as she could.

The flashes of the men came to her immediately, the fear she had felt adding to what she already felt. Her hands shook, but she forced herself to remember. Five. There had been five men, but only two had attacked her. She winced as she recalled the kick to her ribs, noting to her surprise that her ribs weren't hurting at all. She blinked and stared at the wall she could see behind his chest. She had been sure that she had broken some bones and that she should be in real pain at the moment. Instead she didn't feel anything hurting despite the beating she had received.

"Misao...?"

She startled and turned to look at him, directly into his eyes. Her eyes widened as she stared at the deep blue of his eyes. As if all the blue in the world was in his eyes and it trapped her.

Her breath caught in her throat and memory floated into her mind. Same eyes had been looking down at her before after the attack. He had spoken to her and while she could not remember the words, she remembered the hurry and the desperation.

She gulped and continued gazing into his eyes, unable to pull herself free. She reached for him in a way she had never reached towards anyone. Not with her body but with her mind. Her eyes widened as a door was opened before her and a tidal wave of emotions and memories filled her mind. Confusion, pain, loneliness, adoration, passion, lust, rage and the whole range of dark emotions that scared her filled her head along with memories that made her shudder in disgust and fear. But mingling with the darkness was light, memories of smiling faces and gratification.

The wave washed all of her away and then pulled the pieces into a tight embrace, slowly consuming all of her. She was losing her self and she knew it. She fought and tried to claw her way out, but it was like trying to climb a wall. She was close to giving and surrendering herself to the onslaught when everything was torn apart.

She screamed as the door closed, forcefully pushing her away back into safety. She cried out her relief and the gently arms pulled her closer. "I am sorry. I am so sorry..." Sho whispered to her trying his best to calm her down. She knew it, but after seeing and feeling all that, there was no power in the world that could make it all alright with few words.

Slowly she began to pull herself together and after sometime she reached the calm and her breathing became regular. She gulped keeping her eyes on floor. She was afraid.

"I am so sorry. I should have..." Sho talked and sounded really regretful. "I was not prepared... I should have been..." He was nervous, it was clear in his voice and his posture. He fidgeted a little. Being so close to him, she could feel it all, his slightest move, change of mood. It was capturing, enticing. It led her to think things she didn't even want to consider. She shook her head, hoping to get rid of the thoughts with it.

Sho sighed. "I am sorry." He said with much emotion behind it and she raised her eyes from the floor, but not daring to look into his eyes again. What exactly had happened? She could not understand it at all, but she knew it was something important and possibly very dangerous. He seemed worried too, though she could feel the tenseness slowly dispersing from him.

It was silent in the room and all Misao could hear was the sound of the fire from the next room. She frowned, she knew she had a good hearing but she shouldn't be able to hear all this well. As if the fire burned right next to her. It was still a pleasant sound. But of course the blessed silence could not last forever.

Sho moved a little, his hand once again laid on her. She knew then that he would now continue and her body stiffened a little.

"There are still many things you need to know. No matter how painful they may be, no matter how scary they are." Sho said and she understood his words but they didn't bring much comfort to her. The cold hand of fear had already trapped her.

"Misao." He said and moved. His hand touched her chin and lifted. She looked into his eyes and stiffened, waiting for the vortex to suck her in. But nothing happened.

"I will always be here for you. No matter what."

The words hit her hard and the gentle promise in his eyes forced her to believe. A little bit of her fear was erased by the words and stiffness left her. She didn't need to nod, he could feel her relaxing a little and he smiled at her tenderly. His hand brushed her cheek. "My brave girl..." He murmured and Misao found a little bit of happiness again if only for a short time.

He pulled her close and she could now smell him without distractions, the freshness and roses. He was warm and his skin smooth as her cheek brushed his. His arms wound around her tightly and she allowed her eyes to drift shut, a small smile rising to her lips. Her arms moved and she hesitantly hugged him back.

Her head was on his neck, her chin placed on his shoulder. She felt good, calmer than before but much too soon the emotions were back. She felt the warmth of his skin and she was tempted to kiss the smooth skin of his neck.

"Whatever you wish to do, you cannot harm me." He said quietly and she stiffened. Right after the kiss another vision had appeared into her mind, her sinking her teeth into his neck. The fear rose again, as if awakened from a forced sleep. She tried to pull back but he held her tight. Her safe place turned into her prison.

"Let me go!" She screamed and pushed him back but it was useless. He was too strong, his hold of her too tight.

"I told you! You can't hurt me no more than you can resist your desires! You are too new to this!" He yelled back, stubbornly holding her while she tried to weasel her way out. In her fear filled anger she slashed out and scratched his face. For one second his hold of her lessened and she pulled, successfully escaping. But she had hardly turned when her body stopped.

A new scent had appeared.

Her eyes dilated and her body was suddenly out of her control as she turned. She knew already what she would see, she knew the scent. No sweeter scent existed for her. Mixed with his fresh rose-scent it was the most tempting and tantalizing fragrance she had ever encountered.

As if on its own, her body moved closer, her eyes fixated on the red lines on his face. She blinked and shook her head as her eyes burned, but it was over in an instant. She proceeded closer and her mouth opened. Her hand reached out to his face and he remained still. There was no fear in his eyes.

Her hand touched the red line and a little drop of the liquid clung to her finger. There was no hesitation in her movements as she brought her finger into her mouth.

Her gustatory nerves exploded and she shuddered throwing her head back. It was so good and it filled her entire mouth, her entire being with a feeling close to ecstasy. And it was a mere drop. Much too soon for her liking the feelings died down. It wasn't enough, she was not satisfied with this.

She leaned closer and without any embarrassment or shame she licked his cheek, the sweet taste once again filling her, leaving her graving for more.

More, more, more, more, more...

She took a hold of him firmly with both of her hands and pulled him closer, all the time leaning closer as well. He didn't resist in the slightest and she stepped into his lap, leaning to his neck.

A very little part of her screamed inside but it was not enough.

She bit his neck and her mouth was filled with the wondrous taste. Her entire body shook and her nipples tightened, forbidden thoughts entering her mind.

Not enough!

She sucked more and more of the delicious substance, the red elixir of life. Her entire body was closing to ecstasy and wonderful climax when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She ignored it but she could not ignore the other hand was placed on her forehead and pushed her back. She screamed as the fulfillment was taken from her and fought to get back to it, but he was too strong. Her attacks were stopped like she was a mere kitten.

All her hits, kicks and scratching were not enough and he pushed her back until she fell down onto the floor with him atop of her. She struggled but he held her down without any effort. Few drops fell from his neck and she reached with her neck and tongue to capture them. She moaned when they fell down, just beyond her reach.

"Misao." He said calmly and slowly.

She blinked. His blue eyes stared right into her eyes and slowly the haze that had captured her disappeared. Her eyes widened. In a flash she realized what she had done. She gulped and water started to gather in her eyes again.

"No..." was the whisper that escaped her mouth still covered in blood.

"No..." was her brokenhearted plea for all to disappear into nothing.

Her body shook again, this time in time with her sobs. "NO!" She screamed and fought to get free but his iron hold held her down.

"Yes." He said. "This is it. This is what you are."

"No, no, no, no, no , no , no , no...." She shook her head but all her fighting spirit had died already. She knew.

He let go of her other hand to brush her cheek with the back of his hand. "Misao..." His voice was sad as were his eyes as well. "You will learn to control it. You will learn that there are good things as well..." He said. "They may never give you the life you have lost, but you may learn to enjoy this way of existing."

He leaned down to lean on his elbow and now he released her other hand too. Misao was staring at the ceiling, her eyes blank. Occasionally a shudder run through her body but beside that she didn't move. She could still faintly taste it on her mouth and the thought brought her both pleasure and disgust. She knew everything he had told and shown were true. If she had had the time, she would have found the truth from his thoughts earlier already.

She was no longer a human but a blood-sucking creature that lived on human blood. The thought was disgusting, but she could not forget how good his blood had tasted and the ecstasy it had brought to her. Even now she wanted more. She was no longer hungry as she had been but the wish for the pleasure was there.

While she was disgusted at what she had turned out to be, she could not feel sorry for attacking Sho like she had. She felt no remorse for hurting him for he had done this to her. Surely death was better, right?

But as much as she hated herself for it, she feared death. She didn't want to die. _Well in a way I am already dead... _She thought unhappily. Why couldn't she be stronger and ask him to deliver her from this false life? He would, she knew. She had seen it during that short moment she had shared his mind.

He had not wanted to do this to her. She understood that much now.

Now he was staring at her worriedly. She could feel him next to her, feel his worry and sadness. How, she could not tell. But he was there and his presence calmed her greatly. He was ready to comfort her and that was exactly what she needed.

Slowly she reached for him with her hand, not even looking at him. He grasped her hand tightly and she sighed. She was not alone, he was with her. He was the same she was. He would be there for her till the very end.

* * *

Reviews:  
Prometheus Unbound: Dome of Heaven will be finished. I am not writing it at this moment, but no worries. I love the story and while I have trouble with the current in-between chapters, I will finish that fic. )  
  
Prince Aoshi: Thank you for the review. I love vampires and so now I for the frst time dared to include them in a fic. They pretty much always yell for angst and angst always demands a certain mood to write. That is why I have avoided them before.  
  
Anonymous Wolf: Thank you for your review. I did look at your story but I am afraid that the "format" is not to my taste. I prefer much descriptions on locations, emotions and such. But that you for reading my fic.  
  
Cleo: Yes, turning Misao into a vampire is sad, but it is kind of the base of the story so... Unavoidable. There is something I must comment on. I do not write to attract readers, I write because I want to write. I don't consider whether people will like it or not, but whether I like it or not.  
  



	4. Chapter 04: Pause

Title: Blood Wedding - Persist

Author: Tiian

Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters/plot taken from Rurouni Kenshin, but OC and the story came from me.

Warning!

In this fic the pairing will be Misao/OC. It is not a permanent pairing, but in this fic it is present. (As you can see, this will be like Dome of Heaven. If I ever write the second part...)

Other: The chapters will be rated separately. So while PG-13 is the chosen rating each chapter is also rated according to its content.

* * *

Chapter 04: Pause

Rating: PG

**Red Sun rising  
Drown without inhaling  
Within, the dark holds hard  
Red Sun rising  
Curtain falling  
Higher than hope my cure lies**

**Nightwish – Once – Higher Than Hope**

The steady rise and fall of her chest was both comforting and disturbing. There was no need for her to breathe anymore but she had not realized it yet. Breathing was still natural to her that she did so without thinking. He smiled a little. He had given up that habit already a thousand years ago.

He brushed some hair from her face but it fell right back to cover her. He had caught a glimpse and for now it was enough. She had looked quite peaceful and of that he was glad. The feeling would not remain though. The desperation would return as she truly understood what she was. He just wished there was something he could do for her.

He had never gone through desperation like she had. He had known before what he would turn into. He had had time to consider his decision, search information and reach certainty. She had not.

He had sworn already in the beginning that he would not force this upon anyone but allow them to make the choice like he had been allowed.

But he had failed. He had turned her when she knew nothing about vampires.

He sighed and threw his head back to stare at the wooden ceiling. Had his decision been correct? Only time would tell if she ever adjusted to this way of life. He turned his eyes back onto her sleeping form. With a small curve in his lips he brushed few strands back again but as before, they stubbornly returned.

She had been so very alive when he had first seen her. He had immediately taken notice of her and she had shaken him to his core. He had wanted to get to know her the moment he had seen her. Most people just walked through their lives calmly, but she had been like life itself burning brightly and strongly.

And he couldn't have helped wondering what her blood would taste like. Would it be as lively as she was? Would it be as powerful as her life was?

He shuddered as a wave of pleasure run through him. It had been all that. He could have drunk her dry and it would not have been enough, even the taint of the first vampire to bit her was drowned in the absolute taste of her blood.

Only once before during his existence he had met a woman with blood like hers. A true treasure had fallen into his hands and he had tainted it. He knew that there had been very little choice as she had been dying and in the danger of turning into a merciless killing machine the weak vampires were. Even death was better than that fate. He had given her the Eternity but it came with a high price. She had lost her life.

He had been human once too. Born and raised as one. He had been unfortunate to be born into the family of vampire hunters. They had been a rarity then and still were now.

He had hated his fate which had made him a part of that family. Since he had been young, he had been breached about vampires and taught to fight and destroy them. He was no fighter and the weapons always felt awkward in his hands. Yet there had been no escape since all vampires knew the families which killed them as their life's work. As such they were always targets, always fighting and struggling to live.

He had hated it with his every cell. He had wanted to learn to play instruments and create music to soothe the souls of living, but a weapon of death had been placed in his hand. He had wanted to study why the world was as it was, but all he had been taught was about death and killing vampires.

Then he had reached the age of 17 and his parents had started to search for a wife for him. He had refused them all, fighting with his parents daily. They had not dared to throw him out since it would have left him to the mercy of vampire's so they had endured. Sho had not wanted a wife who would live everyday in danger or children that would be forced to fight every single day of their lives like he had been forced to.

He had just reached the age of 20 when he had met the most enticing woman. She had walked straight to him without any hesitation on a remote street on a bright and warm day. Her long thick black hair had easily reached her bottom and it had flowed freely with the air and the gently rhythmic swing of her hips. Her lips had been painted red and that had been all the makeup on her face. Her brown eyes surrounded by thick black lashes had allured him. She had worn only a yukata of white silk that showed everything as the sunlight shone from behind her.

She had smiled to him gently. "I have been watching you, Hunter Sho. I have noticed your reluctance to fight and your strong will to resist the fate assigned to you. I have for long wished to speak with you. My name is Chiyo and I am a vampire."

He had backed from her then and taken out his weapon, a wooden stake. _How can a vampire walk in the daylight?_ He had wondered. He had waited for her to attack but she had not moved, just continued to speak. "The Hunter families indeed know much about vampires, but only of those they meet in the darkness of the night. Of us who suffer the sun and walk in the day as well as night, they know nothing. They refuse to acknowledge our existence, but we do exist although there are not that many of us compared to the weak ones that walk the night."

She had been silent for a moment as if to give him a change to attack. She had not had any weapons but as a vampire she needed none. He had not dared to move. This was his enemy, the enemy he had been taught to fight, enemy he had never wanted to fight. He would have preferred the life of ignorance.

She had smiled and for all he held dear he had not been able to find evil in her eyes or on her smile. The vampires he had encountered so far had always been evil, corrupt and hungry. Just looking at them had often been enough to tell what they were. But he had not been able to find it in her. She had not felt like they did but not like human either.

"What… What are you?" He had finally gotten out.

She had laughed and he had found himself liking the voice.

"I already told you." She had stepped closer. "I am a vampire though not the same as the monsters you have been taught to fight."

She had been close enough for him to attack but he had not moved. He had not been able to. She had extended her hand to him her palm up. "I have no pulse. You can feel it if you like."

He had hesitated. On the other hand if there would be a pulse, she was a human. If not…

She had noticed his hesitation and smiled. "I promise I won't bite." Her words had done nothing to calm him, but with more bravery than he had thought he possessed he had reached out and placed his fingers on her wrist.

He had waited sweat dripping down his face and neck but he had not felt anything. At the realization that she had been speaking truthfully he had jumped back and readied himself for an attack that had never came. She had only smiled. "See?"

She had not moved one step closer but seemed satisfied watching him and speaking slowly to him. "I would like to show you the truth. We are different from those beasts, but then again you already knew that. You could feel it, right? You are such a fascinating person. I have been watching you for some time, waiting for the time to approach. I chose the day since you would not believe me during the night. I want you to see it for yourself, the truth."

She had extended her hand and looked at him with a smile on her lips and gently look in her eyes. "Come with me. I will free you from your fate."

No dishonesty…

No evil…

Some force unknown to him had captured him then and he had taken the hand she had offered.

And as she had promised, she showed him the truth and freed him from the chains of his destiny. As he had wished.

At that time, he had known it all and chosen this fate but the girl sleeping before him had not had a choice. He had forced this fate on her and he hated nothing more than that. She should have been the one to make the decision but he had simply obeyed his selfish desire. He could make excuses all he wanted about not having a choice, but he preferred not to lie to himself. He felt guilty, he was guilty.

She looked so peaceful but he was starting to feel restlessness in her. Feeling her was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He had a similar bond with Chiyo, but it was not the same. He had not tried, but he was pretty sure that through this bond he shared with Misao he would be able to dive so deep into her soul that he would see through all she was. He knew already that he would not do so, but at the moment he preferred to keep the bond open enough to sense her strongest emotions. She was in pain and if he could do something for her, he would.

She was waking up, he could sense it. Soon her blue eyes opened and she blinked to clear her vision. He was glad to see blue and not red. It had not felt right to see her with red eyes which clearly told the tale about the beast within her. It was always a relief to see blue since it meant that it was the human in control and not the beast.

The confusion was disappearing and she was clearly recalling what had happened before she had slipped into the dreamless sleep. The disgust was great in her and he had a feeling it would take time before it would disappear if it would.

"Good to see you awake." He said smiling at her, trying to send comfort and warmth to her through the bond. She seemed to accept them and calmed a little.

"Since we have been bottled in here for some time now, I thought it was about time to go move a little." He continued standing up and walking across the room. "I will get your clothes and then we can go."

He had almost said "must" go. It was already urgent for them to leave. Turning her and feeding her had taken a lot out of him. He could feel the hunger rising in him as a sure sign that he was low on blood. She was too. She might have taken some from him, but as he was a vampire himself it was lacking in actual effect. Hopefully they would make it to the next Pact-house before the hunger grew to dangerous levels. After all, when hungry it was easier to lose to the beast and she would not be able to handle that it so soon after being turned.

He picked her clothes from the dead fire and took them to her. She was hesitant in her every action and he could smell her fear. "Don't worry." He said gently and took her hand. "I won't leave you alone." He gave her a smile and she nodded bravely but the fear was still there.

_Nothing I can do about that, huh…_ He thought and turned to give her privacy she seemed to want. Of course he had already seen everything but she had been asleep then so to her the situation was different. He heard the rustling of clothes for a while and then there was silence.

"I…" Misao said and Sho turned. She was sitting on her legs and her hands were fisted around the yukata fabric. Her hair was flowing freely down her back and he had to say that no matter how pale and sad she looked, she was beautiful. Still, she was clearly missing the life-force he had admired before and he was sad for the loss.

As she seemed unable to continue, he decided to leave it. She would continue when she felt like it. He offered his hand to her with a smile he hoped was encouraging. "Come with me. I will take care of you."

* * *

The hand was right before her and the one offering it to her was smiling gently. His words echoed in her mind. _I will take care of you…_ She knew that he had meant it. She had felt his sincerity and caring already before. Still there was a slight hesitation in her. He had been the one to do this to her, no matter how unwilling he had been. 

His hand didn't waver. He was a steady harbor she could safely anchor to. So she felt as she looked at him. Taking his hand would mean forgiving him for doing this… Could she? She looked up straight into his eyes.

Safety…

Care…

Honesty…

Pain…

She saw much, some emotions he had planted for her to see, but it was seeing pain in his blue eyes that finally made her give in. She would not forget but she would try to forgive. She reached and took his hand.

The wave of relief from his made her feel a little bit better. He had been worried and he was glad this was her choice.

"Come." He said with a smile. "I will care for you."

Her eyes widened and she stared at his back as he pulled her along. After feeling like a dirty beast, to hear him talk to her in such manner truly made her feel a lot better. If he was with her, she could handle this.

His hand felt warm against hers as he pulled her outside. The sun was not far up in the sky which signaled that it was morning. She frowned. Somehow she felt uncomfortable. The sun seemed too hot even though it was very early.

"Do not worry." A voice whispered next to her. Sho too was watching the sun. "When you get stronger the sun's effect on you will lessen."

She turned to him. "What?"

He gave her a smile and pulled on her hand. "Let's go. I'll explain as we walk."

While she was anxious to know, he seemed to be in a hurry and thus it was probably better for her to wait for a while before asking again. There seemed to be some significance to her slightly ill feeling.

As she looked around, she noticed that they had been in a small house at the edge of the village she had ended up while hunting for Aoshi.

_Aoshi-sama…_

She felt a bang of pain thinking about him. As she was now… She had no right to appear before him. As she was…

Her chest, her heart was bleeding tears at the thought. He was the person she loved the most, her guardian, okashira and friend. She had searched for him so long… and now she didn't feel that she had any right to go to him anymore. She was no longer human, no longer the same Misao he knew.

And the Aoiya, her home. She could not return there, not as she was. Seeing the beast she had turned into last night, she would not endanger them. If she hurt any of them… She would never be able to live with herself.

He stopped suddenly and turned to her. She could hardly blink before he had leaned close to her. "If there is anything I can do, tell me." He looked sad and she understood that somehow he must have sensed her sadness and emotions like she could occasionally sense him.

She gulped and pulled her lips into a smile. "It is alright. I am…" She was about the say that she was fine, but it would have been a lie and she was sure he would not believe her.

"Just… talk." She said finally hoping that hearing his voice and listening to him would distract her. At the same time she wondered how strange it felt to smile. It was not a smile of happiness but a forced smile she had masked herself with in order to make him believe she was fine. So unlike her normal smiles…

His hand squeezed hers gently and he pulled her along again. "Telling me to talk may have been a mistake from your part." He said and turned his head to give her a smile. "I like to hear my own voice so much that you may find it hard to shut me up."

She knew that he was trying to make her feel better and she appreciated the effort, but it was not that easy to erase her fears and pains. Still, knowing that he was with her gave her some comfort and she was glad for that.

He had not yet started when they reached the forest she remembered all too well. She hated the thought of walking through it, seeing the place where she had lost her life, her home, her friends and her self.

"Do you feel better?" Sho asked and she was about spat out to him her feelings about the forest when she realized what he was referring to. Now that she was out of the direct sunlight she indeed did feel better. She was free to move and it was as if a weight had been lifted.

"Good." Sho said and continued to pull her along. They didn't seem to be taking the path that led to the scene where everything had changed for her and for that she was glad. She didn't know if she could handle seeing it yet. So much bitterness, pain, loss, fear and sadness was in that place. While she had been thinking he had started speaking like a teacher explaining matters to a student. In a sense their relationship was much like that.

"We are not meant under the sun, if it can be said in such way. The sun is too bright and warm and our powers come from dark. We can stand in the sun but it is not comfortable." There was a slight hesitation before he continued. "There are two different kinds of vampires. There are us and the ones that attacked you."

She flinched at his blunt words. Here in the forest the slightest word or thing reminded her of the attack and the bastards who had done this to her. In the end it was their fault she had ended up like this. If they had not attacked her, he never would have had to turn her into the creature she was now.

"We can walk in the sunlight like normal humans but they being weaker cannot. Their skin can't take the warm light and it burns. They literally burn to crisp and shatter to ashes. We are stronger so such a thing will not happen to us. The sun merely limits our powers and makes us more like humans. The beast does not suffer the sun well."

"The way you say that… It almost feels as if there was a separate being inside us." Misao whispered quietly. The hunger, the pleasure, the desire… She had not felt herself when they had overcome her. Almost as if she had lost her sense of self for those long moments.

He was quiet for a moment before sighing. "The truth is that there may be."

She stopped thus forcing him to stop too. Her eyes were wide as she asked the question she was dreading to hear an answer to. "What?"

Sho didn't attempt to pull her along but stood still as if he had not been in a slight hurry earlier. "It has been a topic for few hundred years now. Some say that it is a beast or rather a demon that multiplies by us biting and feeding our tainted blood to the bitten. Some say it is a disease that spreads through blood. Disease or a demon…" He stopped, turned his head up at the sky and sighed. "I don't know which I would prefer."

_What was there to think?_ Misao wondered. "Disease of course! It makes me feel even more ill to think that there is a demon inside of me now…" She shuddered at the thought and its implications.

Sho lowered his head and smiled at her. "Perhaps so. That is what the brave and strong think."

"Why brave and strong?" She frowned.

"If you think that there a demon within you, you can easily blame it for forcing all the desires and urges into you. It is easy to use the demon as a scapegoat. Disease on the other… is much harder to use as an excuse. If it is a disease that causes our bodies to be what they are, what causes the urges and the ease to hurt other? If you say it is a disease, then all those urges…" He left the thought hanging but Misao knew the rest.

"…are from ourselves." She said with horrible realization.

He nodded. "Yes. And I find that much scarier than the thought of a demon."

"Still… Don't you think it is easier to control ourselves than to fight a demon?" She had to know, she had to think about this no matter how little she liked about it. She needed to understand to be able to continue this life.

"I guess that depends on the person and the level of the vampire who bit." Sho said pulling her hand a little indicating that it was time to go.

Misao nodded. "So the difference between us and the lower class is…" A gentle tug of her hand pulled her forward and she followed him.

"They have already lost the fight for their humanity before they rise from the dead. We at least have a fighting chance." Sho said without turning to look at her, gently pulling her ahead.

A fighting chance… But did she really have enough strength to keep on fighting? Already now she felt so weak, hurt and confused. Could she really stand up to this challenge?

* * *

Author: If you think that all angst is over, do not worry. Plenty to come along the way. The name of the chapter comes from the fact that this was calm chapter, a small relief for Misao.

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Review: Mia, Princess of Eternity: Thank you very much for your kind words. I am aware that there may be mistakes, I am actually sure that there are and as such your words don't offend me. But I am not a native English-speaker and I am quite blind to my own mistakes and I don't have a proofreader so… This is the result. But thank you for showing interest in the story and bothering to review. 


	5. Chapter 05: Perhaps

Blood Wedding - Persist

Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

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Chapter 05: Perhaps  
Rating: PG-PG13 

Temporary pain, eternal shame  
To take part in this devils chess game  
Spit on me, let go, get rid of me  
And try to survive your stupidity

Nightwish - Once - Romanticide

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They path through the forest had been tiring and she had wondered quite a few times why they had not taken the road. It was nice to be in the shadow and cool air that the forest provided but it would have been faster to walk the road like they now did. To where, she did not know. She had not asked and he had not said. She was just following him as he had asked her to do leaving everything to him. She had no aims to walk towards nor dear ones to return to anymore. He was all she had. 

The thought saddened her. It angered her, it made her feel helpless and lonely. Only the feel of his hand in hers gave her a little bit of stability. If she would lose him as well… The fear of it was too much. Her chest hurt and she felt very desperate suddenly. To be alone in this misery, pain and sad destiny would be too much for her. Even now the weight was threatening to suffocate her.

Only a moment had passed after the thoughts had crossed her mind and she already found herself in tight warm embrace. A voice whispered words of assurance to her and his hand slowly and gently glided up and down her back. Breathing became easier and the pain subdued. Yes, she was not alone. He was with her.

It was in these sudden moments of desperation that she could truly feel him. She had already learned how to reach out to him unconsciously through the bond they shared, which was another thing she knew nothing about. In the future perhaps she would start to wish she could hold secrets from him but for now she was grateful that he always knew when she felt bad. She didn't need ask for comfort, he gave it willingly without a plead or request. She was grateful for that.

After few minutes she was feeling better again and he took her hand to lead her forward. These sudden desperation attacks of hers were growing more frequent and she feared what it might indicate. Thoughts sprung from her hate and loss... Would she ever learn to love herself again?

They had traveled mostly in silence, though at times he chose to tell her tales of himself. Rarely but sometimes she told him something back. The more time passed, the less she said. It was growing increasingly hard to hold back the darkest of her feelings. Her eyes strayed so often to stare at his neck and reminisce about the wonderful ecstasy of his blood that she felt ill. She hated herself for those feelings, for the longing desire. The hunger in her was growing and it was getting harder to control it. Every moment was a struggle.

She was sure he knew that too. Perhaps that was why his steps were gaining speed and his smiles grew rarer.

In a way it was humiliating to think that he knew her weakness, her hunger and longing. She had blushed many times in his arms after the panic had faded. She had wished for touch that was deeper and sinful. He knew, but never acted to fulfill her desires. She was glad since even though her body longed for him, her heart still longed for another person.

She had spent so many years thinking only of him that it was impossible to let go, especially now that it was all that she had to keep her walking. Still the thought of encountering him now did not fill her with joy but with horror. She never wanted him to know what had happened to her. She was not worthy to stand before him anymore. Not as she was.

His hand suddenly squeezed hers and she raised her eyes to meet his. He gave her one of his now-rare smiles. "We will arrive soon." Then he turned again and led her along the road.

She was slowly beginning to understand where they were headed even without him telling her. Gifu was the only town near them at the moment. While traveling she had learned much of the land and the cities. She remembered walking through that town once during her travels.

She felt uneasy about the idea that they would go to a place where so many people lived. She longed for blood and the fear of attacking one of the citizens was very real in her.

"…Sho." She said hesitantly as the first view of the town was before them. "We are not going to Gifu, are we?"

He merely turned to nod. At the instant he confirmed her doubts, she stopped. Feeling the tug Sho stopped as well. "We can't. I can't." She said and shook her head. For days now she had held back her need but soon her control would break. She had not dared to ask him for his blood again and so she was starving now, feeling the need every waking and sleeping moment. Not that she could sleep much without his help in the matter.

"If I go in there…" _I will lose control. I will attack them... I will... I will... kill..._

Warm pair of hands on her cheeks shook her out of her thoughts. There was sympathy in his eyes but a will of steel was there as well. "There is a place in this town that we must go to."

She shook her head but he continued. "We must." And it was a command. She knew that tone for she had heard it before from others. It was a command of someone's master, her master. It sounded in her ears and inside her mind through the bond. It was a command and she could not say no.

He reached into his small bag that hung over his shoulder and pulled out a strap of clothing. "I will bind your eyes, it may make it easier for you." She gulped and nodded. Anything to make this easier was welcome... even if it was not enough to free her from her fears.

He walked behind her and wrapped it tight. Then he hugged her for a moment and whispered. "I won't allow you to harm them."

Few words and she felt easier. His power over her was something she could not understand. Why? Why did his words mean so much to her?

"Want to ride on my back?" He asked suddenly and she could hear a tiny bit of cheerfulness in his voice and she knew that he was smiling. It made her feel easier, but the reason she accepted his offer was because then he could stop her even if she tried something. And the thought was tempting for another reason as well. Having him so close would probably ease her desire for blood a little and she was willing to do anything that might help. Any distraction was welcome, no matter how humiliating.

He lifted her easily and she wrapped her legs and arms around him. A river of sinful thoughts entered her mind and she could feel her cheeks growing warmer. He had the nerve to laugh.

With a steady unwavering speed he jogged towards the town and she had to tighten her hold. He was moving fast, much faster than they had moved previously. She had to wonder if the sun affected him at all. She could feel it all the time trying to stomp her to the ground. It was too warm, too suffocating, too bright. Still he could move with ease as if it had no effect at all on him.

The sounds were growing louder and she knew they were getting close. She allowed herself to relax against his back and smell his sweet scent while doing her best to block out the thought of all the blood that was in the people around her.

They got closer and to her horror she could feel them. Without even seeing she could feel and sense everything around her. Her hold tightened and she grew tense. He was still jogging, even among all the people around them. He was sure of the destination and he seemed to be in a hurry. She wanted him to hurry. The feel of all the people with so much blood in their veins was tempting and the desire to attack them increased with every passing moment. The only thing that stopped her now was his smell, warmth and tight hold on her.

Many corners and streets later he slowed down and stopped. He pulled his other hand free and she instantly tightened her hold. He knocked and after a moment she could feel someone approaching and heard the door being opened.

"Sho-sama!" Male voice said loudly. She felt Sho nod in response. "Good day, Hiroshi-san."

"It has been a while since you last visited here. And who is this?" The voice Sho had identified to belong to a man called Hiroshi asked. She grew tense waiting for Sho's answer, but instead of answering he replied with a question. "Can we talk about this inside?"

"Sure." The man said.

Then they moved again with Sho following the man. She could feel that there were other humans here as well. Why had Sho taken her here when he knew how much she feared hurting them?

Suddenly she felt someone, something else. Unlike the humans she had felt, this presence had much more power. The feeling was fleeting, soon it had disappeared but she remembered it. She had recognized it though she had never felt it before. Perhaps it was thanks to the bond between Sho and her. It was presence of another vampire and that vampire was strong.

If there were other vampires here, she could perhaps understand why Sho had brought her there. Perhaps to introduce her to the vampire, but why it could not be done outside the village she didn't understand. Also the only strange presence she had felt was gone already. So why did they go deeper and deeper into this place? Why were they even here?

The sound of the steps changed and she knew that they had arrived to the house. They walked in silence and she didn't dare to disturb it. Around her she could sense many humans and it bothered her. Was this an inn or something like it? Why else would there be some many people here?

Finally Sho stopped and she heard a door being opened again. They stepped inside and Sho lowered her down to stand on her own. She missed his warm back and the comfort it gave immediately. His hands reached and undid the knot of the clothing and took it off. Slowly Misao opened her eyes. He wouldn't have taken it off unless he wanted her to look, right?

It was a very simple room. The house was wooden just like she had thought, there was one futon and table on the floor and a shelving by the wall. But her main attention was on the man whose voice she had been listening. He was not a tall man nor was he a thin man. With more than few extra pounds and a long beard, he did not really look nice, but she had long since learned that looks didn't determinate everything. She had grown surrounded by weird or dangerous looking people such as Hyottoko, Shikijou and Hannya...

A pang of pain at the thought, reminder of what was lost.

"This is Hiroshi-san." Sho pointed at the man and Misao nodded to him to which he responded with one of his own. He had some sort of measuring look in his eyes as he looked at her and she felt the need to put up a barrier or at least some distance between her and him. He was not a kind looking man, more menacing than kind. He was clothed in simple green yukata and for some reason he had a scarf around his neck. The look in his eyes bothered her and her hands clenched as she readied herself to defend against whatever he would do next, but it turned out that there was no need.

"Hiroshi-san. Would you please hurry?" Sho said and the man nodded leaving the room at once. He obviously knew what Sho was asking, but Misao had no idea. She looked at Sho bewildered.

"Sho, what is going on? Why are we here?"

He stared at her silently for a minute and then guided her to sit down on a small pillow. "This place is called Pact-house. There are other names as well but this is the name I use."

"Pact-house?" She asked with a terrible foreboding. The name did not sound promising and judging by the serious look on his face, she was not going to like what was to come.

Sho nodded. "Yes, all the humans here have made a pact with vampires, our kind not the weaklings. We offer them a place to live. They won't have to pay rent or buy their food, we provide them those. In return they give us their blood."

"What?" Her eyes widened in disbelief as she understood what he was saying and why they had came here. _No. No, no, no. No!_ He wanted her to bite them, to drink their blood. _NO!_

"You are close to losing to your hunger and I am hungry too. We need blood." Sho said with his eyes locked with hers. He was deadly serious and she felt trapped on his gaze. She could not tear her eyes from his.

"No…" He had tricked her into coming here. He had not said why because he had known what her reaction would be. He wanted her to drink the blood of humans? He wanted her to do the one thing that she feared the most? And desired the most?

"We need it and soon. I can't give you what you need but the people here can and they will, willingly." Sho continued and she kept shaking her head. No matter how willing they were, no matter how much they were paid in return... Life was something that could not be returned.

"But what if…" She started desperately. _I lose control and kill them?_ Tears were not far judging by the heavy and painful burning in her eyes. With time, perhaps she could accept that she was dead... Perhaps she could accept that she was a creature that needed blood to live... But to take the blood from humans? That she could not accept.

"I won't allow that to happen." Sho said very seriously and she knew that he would keep his word. But still… She hated this! She hated what she had became! No matter how much she fought it, the thought was alluring, tempting and she hated feeling like this. Torn between human and monster.

"But… Why can't you just… take blood from them and give it to me?" There had to be another way. She didn't want this. She could not... No, she knew she could. Every part of her was screaming for her to get on with it and take their blood, life, dreams...

_NO! _She shook her head in desperate attempt to clean her sick mind.

"Because second hand blood is the last choice." Sho replied without hesitation. "My blood could sustain you for some time but not as long as human's blood. There will only be needless feeding and you need to learn to do this. You can't survive without."

"I won't do it!" She yelled and turned her back to him hugging herself desperately. "I won't. I will not." She kept murmuring under her breath. But she wanted it so much it hurt to deny it...

Sho walked to her and turned her around with a force she had not expected. He looked angry. "You will! If not here and now, you will lose to your hunger. The beast will take your reigns and _you will kill_."

She merely shook her head and first tears started to slide down her cheeks. She was too consumed with her desperation to even notice that the tears had a reddish taint to them.

"These houses exist so that we could avoid killing and scaring people. In this place the people are willing and are paid for their sacrifice. We never take too much and wait almost two months before feeding off of them to make sure that they do not suffer from it." He explained and gently swiped the reddish tears from her cheeks. She shivered.

"My dear girl…" He said and pulled her into a hug. His hand glided up and down her back gently in attempt to calm her, but she kept shaking. She was fighting so hard in this battle against herself. She denied the existence of a monster in her meaning that she herself was the monster if she lost this battle. He could understand, but not accept this. He would not lose her to neither the beast nor the human.

"Sho-sama, Misao-sama." The familiar voice of Hiroshi called to them from the door. "They are ready."

Sho nodded and started to rise pulling Misao with him. "Come on now." He said gently and brushed a stray hair behind her ear. It was something he had made his habit in the short time they had been together. His warmth slid across her cheek and she shivered at the feel of it. He was somehow managing to calm her down, but her resolution remained unchanged.

"No… I don't want to." She whispered staring at the floor, not daring to look into his eyes. She feared that if she looked, he would be able to end this battle in her and she would turn into a monster that fed on humans as if they were cattle.

"You must." His masculine voice caressed her ears and she could not stop the slight shiver of delight. "And don't worry, I will be there with you. I will make sure that you do not harm her."

"Do not harm?" She laughed bitterly. "I remember it and it hurt like hell, like I was split apart." That awful feeling, she had tried to forget it. She wished, oh how she wished that all this would be a dream. That she would wake up and ... And everything would be...

Gods, she had forgotten what happiness was... Painless life with beloved people...

"It doesn't have to. The weak ones can't do it, but we can control humans a little bit. We can cover the pain by sending images and feelings into them."

More... More unnatural features. How inhuman was she?

Now, as she looked down and noticed the tears staining her clothes, she noticed for the first time how red her tears were. She wiped her cheek and stared at her red fingers. _I can't even cry anymore... I bleed._

She shuddered and a new wave of bloody tears fell from her eyes. Her throat constricted painfully and her eyes burned red momentarily before returning to the sea-green.

"But… I can't do that. I can't..." She whispered. She was so tired already. She didn't want to cry anymore, she didn't want to lose anything anymore, but she didn't have the strength to fight the tides of fate anymore.

"I know. That is why I will be there with you. Through the bond I will teach you how."

His voice was so calm and she knew that no matter what happened, he would accept her. His warmth was surrounding her as he embraced her tightly, not letting go, keeping her safe. And she felt safe. Here in his arms... Safe, accepted, cared for...

"I feel that… If I do this, there will be no turning back." She whispered silently, the salty and coppery taste of her tears filling her mouth.

A small part of her remained fighting. A losing battle of a weary mind.

"Was there ever even a chance to avoid this?"

There was logic in his words. There was calm acceptance. She hiccuped and shook her head as last bitter tears flowed from her eyes.

"…No. There were none."

She knew it. She had known it even though she had refused to accept it. Deep inside she had known that it would come to this. When the men had attacked her in that forest, her fate was set. Even though she hated everything she now was, even though she fought with everything she had, this was something she could not change. She had chosen life no matter form it would come in. She didn't want to die...

He had promised that she would not hurt them as well as he had promised that if she ignored this chance, she would hurt others and herself.

She trusted him. She knew that he had not lied to her. If she refused now, she would end up like he had said. Beast hurting others and madness would consume her. She would be nothing but a monster. He had said that she had a fighting chance, a small chance that perhaps she could keep her humanity. Even though...

She was afraid. Her fears were consuming her much like her hunger did. They were transforming her into someone she was not.

She raised her eyes to meet his. He answered to her look with one of trust and care. To the hands of this person she would give herself. If he said that this was for the best...

"Take me..."

Perhaps now the fighting would end...

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Author: This turned out to be shorten than I thought but this was the best part to end it. I have written ½ of chapter06. But since it will be another extremely angsty chapter... It may take a while to finish it.

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Reviews: Mia, Princess of Eternity: Thank you again for your review. Sorry it took so long to get this up. It was quite ready for sometime already actually... I was just not in the mood to reread and revise it. I am from Northern Europe, Scandinavia. I think only 3-4 chapters of my stories alltogether has been proofread, ever. Thanks for the offer but at the moment I think I will work on this one alone. 

See you (hopefully) again later!

Coming sooner or later: Chapter 06: Walk the dark path


	6. Chapter 06: Walk the Dark Path

**Blood Wedding - Persist**

Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

Disclaimer: I don't own RK, not now or ever. Same applies to the past ch05.

* * *

Chapter 06: Walk the dark path

Rating: PG-13

**Deep into a dying day  
I took a step outside an innocent heart  
Prepare to hate me fall when I may  
This night will hurt you like never before**

**Nightwish - Once - Wish I had an Angel**

* * *

They walked down the hallway following Hiroshi as he showed the way. The thought of what lay ahead made her feel ill and yet at the same time her mouth watered and the part of her she hated the most was waiting anxiously. She wanted to bolt but Sho had a firm hold of her hand and her trust. She sucked comfort, calm and care from him like a sponge but no matter how much she took, she didn't get enough to ease her painful anxiety.

Much too soon Hiroshi stopped before a door. The panic was taking a firm hold of her. She didn't want to, she didn't… want to want this!

The door was slid open and Sho guided her inside while Hiroshi stayed outside closing the door after them.

She looked and did not see what she had expected though she was not sure what she had thought she would find. The room was like the one they came from but this had been decorated with paintings, mirrors and carpets. It was very beautiful but also very impersonal room. Like a hotel room or such where no one really spent time.

The woman who lived there had stood up when they had entered leaving her half-finished sketch to the table. It was a butterfly on a flower painted emotional with only black and white. Her first focus was the butterfly but as she looked closer she noticed a spider approaching it's prey. Something about the image made her feel uneasy.

She walked to them with a small smile on her face. Her slightly round body was wrapped neatly in a light-blue yukata and her black, very long hair flowed freely down her back. Her deep brown eyes had few wrinkles around them telling a tale of her age. Her neck was covered with a black neckband.

"My my. Sho-sama. It has been a while." She said with a luke-warm smile that did not quite reach her eyes and bowed her upper body slightly. Sho smiled back politely and nodded. "Indeed it has been."

As he turned to her, Misao felt a sudden rush of panic. _Already? But I am not prepared... I am not... _

"This is Gin-san. She has been living here over ten years already." His voice was polite, void of emotions. This was not the Sho that she knew, this person who hid all emotion. Why? Why did he act so strange now, during time so painful to her?

"Fifteen actually." The woman said and turned to Misao. "Never seen you before and I have seen many of your kind." Her voice was passive, unconcerned. The words dropped out carelessly and mercilessly. Misao stiffened at her reference to her inhuman nature.

"This is Misao." Sho pointed at her and the woman gave her a nod. Her actions clearly pointed out her thoughts about their importance in her eyes. A bow with a smile to Sho and a mere nod to her.

"This is her first time in Pact-house and I must say that I am glad Hiroshi-san picked you." Sho gave the woman a small smile but like hers it did not reach his eyes. It was strange to see him with this kind of forced polite smile. He felt like a stranger and it scared her.

"First time? Is she of your making?" Gin asked with the same uncaring tone that still seemed to hint at something. Sho clearly understood and stiffened. The woman noticed this and her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, that was tactless. My apologies." She did not sound as if she was sorry at all.

She continued briskly. "Let's get to business then. I trust that you will be here." She turned to Sho who nodded. Satisfied with this answer she reached for the neckband to remove it. As it fell aside Misao could see her neck and her eyes widened. There were too many white dots to count. This woman... _15 years... Used as food in return for a home..._ The thought sickened Misao.

Gin sat down and looked up obviously expecting them to act next.

Now that the moment was before her, Misao froze. She could not move forward, her humanity stopped her. She could not move back and run, the hunger prevented it. She was standing on a line and both step fort and back would change her life. It was a choice between this half-life and absolute death. A choice she had thought she had already made yet she found that she still doubted.

She didn't know this woman before her. Why was she here? What did she really think of all this? What was she like? This woman before her was a human and instead of considering her as a possible friend or nice company she could only think of her as food. Food stock.

Her stomach lurched and she felt sick.

Her mind began to go around in the same circles as before and she shook her head to clear it. She had already gone through all this. She had made her decision, had she not?

She didn't want to die and face the darkness again.

Her body shook and she felt incredibly weak. Hesitantly, shivering, she forced her feet to move and stepped forward.

After the first step she could not stop herself anymore. With slow, somewhat wavering steps she walked to the woman and with care she knelt before her. The woman automatically bared her neck for her as an invitation and leaned forward to offer it to her.

Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know this woman at all and yet she offered her what she had longed for for so long. Her eyes burned again like before and her gums ached pleasantly as the teeth pushed out. How long had she waited for this?

Ever since she had first tasted Sho's blood?  
Ever since she had awakened as a vampire?  
Ever since she was born?

She leaned forward but as she was just about sink her teeth she hesitated and looked up to see Sho. He was behind the woman facing her with gentle eyes. He placed his hand on her head and she knew that he would take care of everything.

She didn't have to fear for this woman's life.

She leaned down and closed her mouth over the worn but warm skin of Gin's neck. Her teeth sank down deep into the woman's skin and Misao heard her gasp, but whether it was from hurt or not, she didn't care anymore. The sweet red blood filled her mouth and the taste drove every sensible thought from her mind. Pure pleasure, pure bliss. The blood swirled down her throat and it warmed her every cell. The terrible hunger was slowly disappearing, but she needed yet more.

More... More, more!

She sucked as hard as she could to fill her mouth with this taste so delicious that it could drive one mad.

It was driving her mad... Out of her mind, out of her soul...

_¨That is enough. Stop.¨_

The thought pierced through her bliss like a sharp blade and shook awake her thinking process. She pulled back instantly as she had been commanded to do. She did it following her instinct instead of making a decision on her own. And she found that it was easier to think. Now that she wasn't so terribly hungry, she felt good, warm and satisfied. Her thoughts that had been threatening to force her to do violence were cleaned and she could think clearly.

The slight hunger for more was still there, lurking in her mind but she could mostly shut it out now.

She looked and saw Sho placing a small piece of white fabric over the small marks of her teeth. The woman was breathing hard but she looked fine. She nodded to Sho and he took his hand away. She replaced it with her own holding the fabric to prevent the bleeding.

Misao bit her lower lip and hesitantly spoke. "Are you alright?"

As both Sho and Gin turned to look at her wonderingly she felt embarrassed. Had she done something she should not have done?

"What a... sweet child." Gin said and smiled her cold smile to Misao.

This woman before her...

She was not happy but something like this happening to her didn't seem to matter to her at all either. There was no hate, no disgust in her eyes and for some reason it bothered Misao. How could she forgive and forget so easily? She had taken her blood like a monster so why was there no anger in her eyes? For 15 years she had been used as food and she didn't even care!

Sho had explained how this place worked, but did they really know what kind of beasts they served? The hunger, the need and the ease of hurting, did she know about those? Did she really understand what kind of beasts she gave her blood to?

Her hand clenched painfully. How could this woman act so casual and accept something like this? She was alive! She had her life so why did she risk it so freely? Didn't it mean anything to her at all?

She was willing to risk it all, to possibly die by the hand of a monster. Did she not realize how precious her life was? How could this woman risk it so easily when she had lost her own so simply?

_I want my life back._

The desire was stronger than ever before, brought back to life by her disgust and despair. This was a dream, right? Just a long horrible nightmare... Any moment now she would wake up... Any moment now...

"Misao..."

He approached her with concerned look and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you..." His voice slowly disappeared as he took a better look at her. She could distantly feel his mind gently connecting with hers.

A dream... This was a dream. But if this was a dream, how could she feel his hand so clearly? How could she smell the lingering fragrance of the woman's blood still in the air? His presence in her mind?

Her eyes traveled and she looked around blinking. Sho was watching her with concern in his eyes, the woman was staring at her with mere wonder in hers... Her hand holding a small fabric on her neck.

Misao gulped.

The memory was clear, clearer than any dream she had ever had.

She had just bit a human. She had bit a human woman and enjoyed every moment of it. The thought sickened her. Her stomach lurched and she fell to her knees.

Disgust...

She sensed Sho coming closer to her, placing his hand on her again. The mere presence of it was great and it was pushing her to the ground.

Shame...

Her vision swam and no matter how many times she blinked, it did not become clearer. A curtain of blood blurred her eyes.

She had to get out.

Slowly she stumbled to her feet and he immediately moved to support her.

Out...

She pushed him away with all her might, not really realizing how much force her body now held. All that mattered was getting out.

She ignored the crash she heard.

Out of here...

She pulled away the shouji and ran out, not really knowing what she was seeing, what she was aiming for.

Just out... of here. This place... this darkness... this pain...

The clean pure air did nothing to help her. Her healing salve was not here and so she ran further searching without understanding. She jumped over a wall not really realizing how tall it was. She ran through the streets not really realizing how crowded they still were or how fast the the faces passed her.

_Wake up..._

She could not feel the tears running down her cheeks or the lessing pressure as the sun set.

_This nightmare... Stop torturing me! I want to wake up!_

She ran and ran, through the town, through the forest. Not knowing where or when she stopped, her knees gave out. Not because of lack of physical strength but because a wave of desperation overwhelmed her.

"I want my life back!" She screamed with everything she had. "I want it back!"

But only silence answered her pleas. Time could not be reversed. What was lost, was lost for forever.

"Give it back to me..." She whispered and fell to her knees gasping for air desperately while tears flowed down her cheeks. The pain was too much, she was suffocating. There was no escape, there was nowhere she could run. Her chest ached and she grasped her clothes, desperately trying to feel a beat but there was nothing.

Empty.

Dark.

There was not even one bright spot within her. Not one she could feel. It was as if all she was, all she had ever held precious had been stolen from her. Cruelly ripped from her soul.

She cried and there was no end to her red tears.

* * *

The small cuts bled few drops but were healed so soon he hardly noticed it. All of his attention was on her back as she ran out. He could feel her desperation as if it was his own. Twisting and hurting her.

"My my. That was unexpected." Gin said. "She seems quite... brittle."

Sho knew he should not be angry but still her words stung and made him want to retaliate. "The first time is hard for many. Better shame than uncaring pleasure." He merely said and rose. The wall had broken down and created quite a mess. "I will ask Hiroshi to fix this later."

He stepped out before she could do anything but nod.

His back had already healed but he could still remember the power that had thrown him across the room. Misao had strength, that much was for sure. She also had speed since he had been unable to dodge. Part of that was because he had been distracted but he could not deny her talents. Even now as the sun still shone slightly over the horizon, she had been able to muster this much strength. Part of it was because she had been so desperate, part because she had just sated her hunger but there was promising amount of spiritual power in her.

Though now her speed created a problem for him since he had to track her down. She had quite a lead on him and he feared that this could take a while. A while _she_ didn't have.

He started jogging after her, trying to contact her thoughts to find her faster but she was not making it easy. He could sense her distress but that was all, she had shut the connection almost entirely by pure instinct. She wanted to be left alone in her pain but that would not do.

He refused to let her go now that she needed help so much.

He scanned for her while jogging through the streets. Now and then he tenderly created a connection with the people around him to feel if they had seen anything strange. Following his instincts, the images he saw in the people's minds and the feeling of her pain, he slowly got closer to her. He walked, ran and searched...

Until he finally reached her...

He was stopped still by the pitiful sight she made. Curled up into a ball, trying to shield away the truth. Her clothes, face and the ground covered in red blood she had cried. She was still sobbing and shaking. At times she muttered something meaningless.

He had expected her to bolt as he got closer but she stayed still. Clearly she had shut him out completely on her end and was unable to feel him. That was just fine and made this a whole lot easier.

She had run a lot deeper into the forest than he had expected. Even the fact that she had went to hide in forest surprised him since there were so many bad memories for her here. Or did she try to hide from everything by allowing darkness and memories consume her?

That would not do. He would not lose her, the brilliant shining girl that had charmed him with her attitude in that one short moment. He refused to accept that he might have lost her already on that night in a forest much like this one.

As he watched her, a broken soul, he wondered again if he had been correct in changing her. He had selfishly decided on what would be best for her without considering that she might be broken apart because of it. She had seemed so strong, so radiant in life that he had thought she could keep that force in death as well.

He approached her like he would approach a strong unpredictable beast, silently, cautiously, softly. He didn't want to surprise or alarm her in any way now that she was already so scared. So scared of losing herself entirely.

He also needed to watch out for himself. Now that she had fed and the sun had set, she was more powerful than she probably understood. He was not scared of pain but feared that if she managed to hurt him, it might only burden her more. So he would do everything he could to avoid hurting and being hurt.

She was so absorbed in her misery and pain that she did not react to his presence next to her. Slowly, carefully he laid his hand on her shoulder, his body tense as he waited for her reaction. She stiffened and he tried to send calming emotions to her but her barrier was tall and he could not get past.

As people tend to, she too lashed out in pain. Her body twisted and her hand shot out to push away the unwelcome intruder. He took her wrist and pulled, breaking the ball she had retreated to.

Here and now, he would not allow her to escape.

She stared at him, her red eyes hurt and tearful. But there was no anger in them.

He could not help but feel a little bit better knowing that at least she did not hate him, not even now.

He knelt down next to her and using the hold he had of her, pulled her into his arms and locked her there tightly. She didn't resist but fell into his arms like a lifeless doll. Somehow he knew that now was not the time for words but for silence. He would give her time so that she could find her words. May they be painful, hateful, lifeless, anything. He would listen to her as she cried out her pain.

Slowly she moved, curled up tighter in his lap. Her tears tainted his clothes, his arms just as they tainted hers, but he did not comment or complain but waited for her to find the words she needed to say. Waited for her to tell them to him. He would wait forever if he had to.

"Why?"

She shivered but he did not move to warm her.

"She... didn't even... _care_."

What she needed was time and silent support and that he would give her.

"I want it back... my life, I want it back."

She fell silent but her sobs didn't cease. Slowly her barrier was breaking down and her feelings were once more there for him to read but he stayed away. She didn't need him in her mind right now, she had more than enough trouble handling her own thoughts at the moment.

Still, he could feel her slowly calming down, slowly finding the rhythm of sleep. Her breaths were growing calmer, her shivering ceasing.

He was not sure if she had said everything that needed to be said, but she had said enough. He now knew what path he would guide her to take. That way... she might be able to get back some of that strength he had seen in her, strength that she surely still had in her. It was just asleep within her waiting to be found again.

"You can never return to the past, but you _can_ take your life back. Even if just for few years." He whispered but she had already fallen asleep and heard nothing. He brushed her hair from her face and pulled her closer to him. Careful not to wake her, he rose and headed back to the town.

Tomorrow would be a new day and while she still had many issues she would have to deal with, he was sure she would make it through it all. He would make sure she did. He would pick her up when she fell, he would offer support when she needed it, he would be whatever needed to be to help her through another day, another week, another year.

He would be there for her always and forever.

* * *

Mia the Princess of Eternity:

Again thank you for your words and for accepting Misao/Sho. It won't be anything permanent or eternal thing just something that happens and is then over. No love that will win in the end.

NonameJane:

Thank you for your review and your praises.


	7. Chapter 07: Sleep with Angels

**Blood Wedding - Persist**

**Summary:** She swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own RK, not now or ever.

**Author: **Notice the rating in this chapter. The content is only lime at the best but since is quite strict... I rated this fanfic M because of this chapter. You have been warned.

Also, since Firuze so kindly told me, the replies to reviews in chapters is now denied and so I won't do it. If you have questions or wish for a reply, please tell so in your review and I'll use the reply button to answer.

* * *

**Chapter 07: Sleep with angels**

**Rating: R / M **

**Last dance, first kiss  
Your touch my bliss  
Beauty always comes with dark thoughts**

**Nightwish - Once - Wish I had an Angel**

* * *

A change.  
She could feel it.  
Something in her had changed.  
She was no longer the same person as before.  
She could no longer say for sure that she was Makimachi Misao.

She was no longer human, she was no longer alive... All that she had known, even accepted on some level. But now she had breached yet another wall and it left her feeling...

How did it feel?

She felt less human. As if humanity was flowing out from her with every action she took. Yet every action had been unavoidable in the end.

Her fists clenched until it grew painful and few drops of blood escaped from under her skin from the small wounds her nails had pierced. She opened her fist and stared as the wound closed up on its own.

She was not human. This dead body should be rotting under sand and dirt but instead she walked around looking like human yet not feeling like one. No one could see the difference, notice the change. No one but her.

She sighed and hugged her legs closer.

Until now she could run, hide and pretend. But now she had given in and it had changed her. She had willingly bit and drank. It had been wonderful, absolutely breathtaking. The blood had flowed inside her mouth and down her throat leaving behind feeling of power and pleasure so strong she knew she could no longer deny it from herself.

She had lost.

She was lost.

Her body rocked back and fort without her even realizing it. Her blind stare was fixed on shouji, waiting and fearing when someone would come.

Yesterday she had run. Run madly through the town to the forest and cried until her eyes burned. He had came and taken her back here. She could not say she was happy about it... Yet he had provided her with the comfort she had graved for.

Just like he had promised, he had been there for her.

He had not judged her, he had not asked questions, he had merely hugged her as she had cried and then carried her here. Back to the same place but to a different room this time.

He had laid her down and hugged her close, keeping her close all the time. With acceptance she had not expected even though he had promised it to her. She hated to admit it but she had slept well in his arms even without him having to force sleep upon her.

She was angry that she could do such a thing when everything was so wrong but it had been so easy to forget everything in his arms. Those warm arms that refused to let go of her. She had felt cared for even as she was now...

And she was burned by her guilt. How could she just bite and then seek for her own comfort? What about that woman whose blood she had taken, who was there to care for her? No one seemed to care...

Not even the woman herself.

But now that she had cried and screamed and run and run... She felt strangely detached and emotionless. Perhaps she had felt too much and nothing was left anymore? She could only hope.

The footsteps approached the room and even before the shouji was pulled back she knew who it was.

He didn't say anything as he came in, perhaps he could sense her mood. She truly didn't want to hear some lecture as to why she had done the only right thing, no comforting words of the fault not being hers... No hopeful words of the future.

He sat beside her without a word and tenderly took her hand into his. He didn't seek out her eyes to read her thoughts, didn't speak to lift the tension in the room. He just sat there beside her holding her hand, connecting them so that she knew that he was there beside her. So that she couldn't forget him even if she tried.

Had she not been engulfed in numbness she might have appreciated his thoughts and actions but as it was, she couldn't.

From deep inside her thoughts sprung forward a question she needed to ask. She had not dared to ask before but now, enveloped in numbness, the words sprang fort.

"How can I die?"

She felt his hand twitching but didn't turn to look at him. He was silent and she could feel his tension, his turmoiling emotion rolling outside the wall to her thoughts.

"If your head gets cut off." He started with a strained voice. "If your heart is cut with a wooden stake. Wood is something that was once alive like us. Our bodies react to it and we don't heal so easily. And if it is aimed at our heart... Other than those we can't die. If we just starve, it is not enough to kill us. We just fall in deep deep sleep which will continue until someone brings blood to us or stakes us."

He fell silent and she could sense his fear... Fear of her next words. He knew what they would be just as well as she did. Still they needed to be said so that they could move forward.

"Would you still... help me to die if I wanted to?"

She turned her eyes to him and very reluctantly he answered to that questioning look. "Yes." He said with a sad voice without a waver.

She just nodded locking the promise inside her memories.

She had considered ending it all, more than once, but in the end it was just too scary to really die. As long as she was alive, she wanted to cling onto it with everything she had...

His hand caressed hers gently, soothingly. He feared for her losing her will to fight. She knew for she feared it too. Already she had suffered so much, if she had to endure much more she really might shatter to the point of no repair.

Her thoughts were dark, muddled and confused. She was not used to feeling like this, dirty and sinful. She had already lost everything so why care?

As she was there was nowhere to go, nowhere to return to. The only stable and secure thing was Sho and his promise of release if she lost all. Her mind, her heart, her spirit. Without those she would not be Misao, without those she didn't want to live.

Slowly, gently and very carefully Sho pulled her into his arms into a tight hug which promised all the support she wanted. She had no tears to shed anymore but the warm comfort of his presence next to her and the physical closeness were enough to dull her numbness. She was not sure if she was happy about it. Feeling was painful.

Yet she allowed herself to relax in his arms and slowly her eyes drifted shut, her mind shut itself down and she fell asleep. His arms around her, she felt safer than alone in the darkness.

* * *

Waking up was a tiring thing to do. Her mind was hazy and her body restless over having slept in an uncomfortable position. Still she could feel her muscles relaxing and the stiffness disappearing as soon as she woke. 

Somehow she knew that it was night, the sun having set long ago with a while to its rise left. The energies that surged through her body told her of the power in darkness and in temptation. The feelings were both strange and familiar, as if she had always had them but just now they reigned free over her logical thinking.

_Don't think, just feel_ came a whisper from her soul. _Not with your heart but with your body..._

After all she had went trough, the emotional roller coaster of ruin, she welcomed the release from the nauseating ride.

Her new instincts took over her sleepy mind before the boring realism took a hold of her. Like a child newly awoken to the world she wondered at it, the feelings the night brought to her. For the first time she could enjoy the night, the passions that had grown stronger after the change to her present state.

Even as still as she was, she could feel the power she had, the strength of her every muscle powered up. Blood dancing in her veins, bringing fort senses and feelings she hadn't wanted to feel before. Feelings she had avoided, been afraid of.

Feelings that were hers.

She was awfully tired of having to run from them, to hide and cover. To try to suppress the new part of herself that came with the hunger. She feared it too much to allow it to control her... Until now when it overcame her sleepy mind.

She snuggled closer to his strong, firm form. She welcomed the tightening hold of his arms around her, the feel of his hand gently drawing circles on her arm.

Her skin was hardly warm and neither was his but still the touch brought fort emotions that she had tried to bury being too ashamed of them. The darkness covered it all now, her form and his. Her shame, her fear and even her pain.

She snuggled closer to him, yearning for more touches, more feelings of freedom from pain. Her arms moved to wrap around him, to get closer to him, to get drunk in sensuality and forget the reality.

The pale moon light was the only source of light in the room and as such it was mostly covered in darkness... And in the darkness the shadows play.

She surrendered.

She couldn't deny any of the feelings that very running rampart in her now that they could. She couldn't deny the desire for touches and closeness, for blood and the ecstasy it brought.

The freedom was exhilarating.

His hands moved on her skin and she moved to lean against the touches, cravings growing restless and impatient within her.

His thoughts brushed against hers and she welcomed the strange touch of hearts, allowed him to look behind the wall to see what she wouldn't say.

The rhythm changed, kisses were added to touches and the last bit of wall Misao had built around her crumbled. Her lips sought out his, her body leaned to his hands and welcomed them on her naked skin.

Cold was changing to warmth, warmth to heat.

Her breath quickened considerably as his hands caressed her breast and his lips her neck. She could feel pleasurable shivers running down her back just under her skin. Her lips turned into a small smile among her fast breaths.

The ache between her legs demanded attention, her chest was pressured by her tension and desire. She was aroused in a way she had never been before and this new body of hers wanted satisfaction, fast. Them being as connected as they were, there was no chance that he would miss her reactions and her feelings when they were as intense as this. Just as intense as his...

No sweat on their skins despite the warmth, no pain to feel in their bodies. Unnatural yet so natural. The basic instincts, the darkest desires awakened by the night.

"Take me..." She breathed out silently. If he asked what she meant, she wouldn't have an answer for him, she didn't have it. She didn't know. She didn't even notice that she had said the exact same thing as before when she had decided to live and drink.

He stiffened suddenly, she couldn't understand why... It felt so good, too good to stop in the middle. She turned to look at him. The slightest bit of moonlight reflected from his eyes and she was stunned to see them almost glowing with desire that was held back by his seriousness.

As if her words had awakened him from a desired dream he couldn't, shouldn't, be seeing.

"Tell me... who do you love?" The words were whispered in a way that sent more shivers running through her before her confused mind understood the words.

The realization hit her hard.

"Aoshi-sama..."

The reality hit her harder.

Her eyes widened as she realized exactly what she had been doing. She jumped away from him, her breathing still hard, her body still aching for more touches. Even her mind argued against the wiseness of this decision. The wild sensations were a relief among all the pain, a way to forget it all even if just for a moment.

But there was no doubt in her heart. The feelings were still there, as strong as ever.

She took her shirt and hurriedly tightened it around herself to cover from his eyes. The blush on her cheeks deepened and her eyes kept darting to look at everything but him.

She had never felt as embarrassed and dirty as she now felt.

She could not deny her desire for she was sure he had felt it. She could not say that this meant nothing because it did. Still she could not deny that he was not the one she really wanted. All of her dreams and visions of future had always been about one single man, the most important man in her life.

They still were. How had she forgotten him?

So deeply consumed by her despair and hunger that she had not given a single thought to him in such a long time. Not only him but her friends as well...

She had forgotten everything that had once given her life a form. She had desperately pushed the reality away and run from the past, the present and the future like a coward.

Forgetting was the easy way out and she had never been the one to take the easiest road. She couldn't believe this... Didn't want to believe this.

Besides, what did it matter? There was no way to return to that life as she was now. Dirty and dark, dead and cold. But to have forgotten them and all that she felt for them, she couldn't believe that she had fallen that far.

She still loved them.

It was the bitter truth. No matter what had changed, she loved them and wanted to see them again even if it could never be.

Still the truth was comforting too. Because she still felt this strongly, she knew she was not completely void of humanity, that among all the pain she could still love. No matter how much darkness and dirt lay in her now, she still had a heart. It was a relief.

She may never be able to return to the past but at least it had given her the strength she needed to live tomorrow. She had found something to ease her suffering, she had found her shred of humanity that she would fight to keep.

The humanity that kept her fighting.

But now was now.

She was thankful for the darkness for covering her nakedness and embarrassment from him. She couldn't understand why she had started something like this between them and would've gladly blamed her other nature for it but that felt like cheating.

She could have fought to remain in control. There had been no need to succumb to the darkness. So why had she done so? Why had she abandoned her common senses to do this?

She didn't want to admit it but it had been probably because she wanted a small moment of peace. She had been fighting so hard, so long, that the pain was robbing her of the little will she still possessed. She had tried to run away from it by concentrating on anything positive she could find.

Perhaps... There was an another reason as well. It was something she was even more reluctant to admit even to herself. She had needed someone to prove that she was not beyond saving, that she was not so dirty that even touching her would be disgusting. She had tried to prove that and had surrendered to the desire.

A real smart move considering how much she hated her present state. She had tried to prove her point by losing a fight. She had voluntarily thrown away all of her truest self for this. It was more than embarrassing, it was shameful.

Did he hate her now? For being so foolish... And she couldn't help wondering if he found her disgusting and dirty?

Slowly she stole a peek and saw him leaning against a wall his eyes closed. She couldn't see him well in the darkness but from his form she could tell that his breathing was heavier than normally. Did he even breath? She had never noticed.

Now that she thought about it, she had never even looked at him carefully, never asked him about himself, never heard anything of him. All she knew was a name and the few glimpses she had gotten of his soul earlier.

She had taken him for granted. A person she knew nothing about. And now she had approached him with her desires, her selfish need for touch. She had wanted him to prove that she was not disgusting.

But...

She found herself disgusting and dirty but had she ever thought of him as such?

The answer was a firm no, she never had though she feared the glimpses she had seen of his soul. Fear was familiar and she knew that those who had power were feared. Still she never feared that he would harm her. Rather she feared that she was just as much worth a fear as he was. After all, they were the same. She had already accepted him as he was and just now he had shown that he had done the same.

No, he had shown it already long before by never leaving her side.

In a weird way the people in here had done the same. It was obvious that they knew more than she knew about what was going on. She couldn't say that she accepted it or thought it was a good thing... But she had judged them harshly without knowing or understanding _why _they were here and _why _they allowed this to be done to them.

There was still much she didn't know, didn't understand. At the moment they probably knew more than she did about all that was going on. They were knowing more than she did.

And in their actions she had sensed acceptance. Neither Hiroshi nor Gin had looked at her with disgust or anything like it in their eyes. They knew and they accepted. And if they could do it... Perhaps she could too... Perhaps they could too...

The thought lit a small fire in her. A mere flicker of light but there, waiting for the day when she would burn bright.


	8. Chapter 08: Call the Past for Help

Blood Wedding - Persist

Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.

Disclaimer: I don't own RK, not now or ever.

* * *

Chapter 08: Call the past for help

Rating: PG

A dead world  
A dark path  
Not even crossroads to choose from  
All the bloodred  
Carpets before me  
Behold this fair creation of God

Nightwish - Once – Planet Hell

Misao's newly found realization led to much wondering and pondering, weighing and remembering. Alone in her room with nothing to distract her thoughts, they run free. Memories flashed in her mind, good times and bad times.  
Emotions came and went.

Happiness, sadness, anger, hope and most importantly love. All of her memories were filled with love. Her adopted family in Kyoto, Aoshi-sama and the rest in their hidden corner of the world... There was suffering and pain but there was also hope. No matter how bad things were, no matter what happened, she had never given up hope before now.

Was this the limit of her strength? Would it have been better to die there and then? Perhaps but somehow her spirit screamed against it. If she had truly disappeared from this world who would look for Aoshi-sama? And Okina, Okon, Omasu and the rest of them would mourn and be saddened. There were still many things she wanted to do...

But things were different now, she was different. It was scary. She had never been this scared in her life before. Living on as she was felt like a crime in itself. Drinking blood and living in the shadows... It was not the kind of life that was meant for her.

She loved the sun. The light that gave life was also her source of strength. She had heard it number of times but never accepted. The fact that she just wasn't suitable to be a shinobi. Her thoughts and emotions were too bright and she herself enjoyed sunny days. Darkness had never tempted her rather she had avoided it, knowing how it took lives like it had taken her parents and so many friends.

And now all she had left was the darkness she disliked. Sun made her feel ill and darkness brought relief with it. The dark thoughts filling her also screamed at her how she was now.

She hated it. Hated the shadows and the darkness enveloping her in their embrace. A part of her was tempted but most of her rejected it with distaste. This was not how she was meant to be.

Misao knew that she had grown weak, too much darkness was drowning her in it... All that kept her here was Sho who was the same as she. Possessing just as much darkness if not more. Still taking care of her with so much tenderness. She couldn't even say if she truly liked him or not but he was all she had so she felt close to him. Perhaps part of that feeling came from the fact that she shared his blood as he shared hers.

Could she start to like him, to trust him? And after she learned that, could she do the same to herself? To start to like this new form, to start to trust in her abilities to keep her darker side at a distance.

She feared herself, this body felt strange and unknown. It was still twisting, trying to shape itself. The blood she had taken wasn't going to last, her body was burning it for energy even now. Her hunger would grow again. She would have to feed again.

It all felt so wrong. Yet it had felt so good. So good it made her doubt if it was right or wrong.  
She was no longer human so did the same moral rules apply to her still?  
Was she trapping herself with the past and thus negotiating her future?

She couldn't accept herself, not yet. But she would have to keep on going. She was now a stranger to herself and her energy was spent mainly on trying to stay same even now that everything had changed.

Slowly she stood and let out a long breath.

The sun was still out there, she could feel it even before she stepped out of the room and walked to the garden. It was midday and the sun was at its strongest, the heat rising far over 30 degrees. It was a hot and humid day and she stepped into it cautiously.

The sun felt burning on her skin and it trapped her breath. Every step was hard and heavy, as if her muscles were shrinking under the sun. She could feel her energy leaving her, gathering inside the deepest and darkest corned in her, trying to run from the light.

Still she forced herself to remain there. The light burned her eyes and she had to shield them with her hand but even that took more energy than usually.

Misao closed her eyes and just concentrated on the feelings. The heavy weight as she moved, the energy leaving her, depleted much faster than in the shadows. She would need to feed soon. She felt it. As if she was a container that had a hole, she was leaking energy out.

She would have to restore it. The thought was uncomfortable but she knew that it would happen sooner or later anyway. And she needed to learn. She had to learn all she could about her existence and its meaning to make the decision. Should she continue on or fall away... Was she still worth something, could she still live on proudly one day.

Slowly she forced herself to take a stance, the first stance of the kata she was most familiar with. Her body protested, screamed at her to return to the cooler shadows but she refused to listen. She went through pretty much all the katas she knew and in the end she was exhausted.

She was in the sun and still she could feel the people. There were some that had gathered to watch her and she had refused to stop and run, instead continued steadily forward. Forward. She would have to win over her fears to continue forward.

When she stopped and sighed, there were few who clapped at her, to show their appreciation of the show she had given them. Feeling rather weak she just smiled and thanked them.

Seeing them, dressed nice and clean, looking happy, she had to again wonder what this place really was. Obviously everyone here knew about she and Sho yet they didn't fear.

She walked to the shadows and could feel some of the heaviness leaving. Still it had felt good to move again, to familiarize herself with her new body. There were differences but all in all, it was very much like she remembered.

"Misao-sama?"

Startled she looked at the woman she had felt approaching. She had thought that the woman would pass her but instead she came to her.

"Yes?"

The woman was probably in her twenties, still young. She wasn't a beauty but her eyes were gentle. Her lips were curved into a smile and she had a very warm presence. Misao refused to think about her opinion about the woman's blood.

"Please, use this. It is not good for you to stay in sun so long at once. The heat can be very overpowering." She handed a wet towel and when Misao touched it, she sighed in relief. The towel was as cold as ice.

"Thank you." She smiled and took the towel, throwing it on her head. The coolness felt heavenly on her skin and the small water drops that were falling on her shoulders gave her shivers.

"I hope you don't mind me intruding in your life. I heard about you from Sho-sama. He was really worried you know."

Misao couldn't help but look at the womans neck. There were neat bandages covering her skin. Had Sho took her blood? The thought was unpleasant somehow.

The woman continued. "He said that you know very little and asked me to help you. So if there is something you want to know, please ask me. They call me Tsu-san here. Please feel free to ask me anything, Misao-sama."

The woman bowed slightly and her smile stayed warm and welcoming.

And Misao found she had many questions and the thought of asking her seemed somehow easier than asking Sho. She still felt embarrassed about her forwardness with him and the memory of his lips on her skin hadn't faded in the least.

Misao sat down and smiled, nodding to Tsu. And understanding the invitation, the other woman sat down as well.

"This is a rude question but... I think I need to know to understand..." Misao kept looking at her hands, nervous about her forwardness. "Why are you here?" She finally spit out, glancing nervously from under the towel.

Tsu-san didn't seem offended, she just smiled.

"Sho-sama mentioned that you might ask such questions. I am here because this is the only place where I feel safe." Tsu took a better position or fidgeted nervously, Misao couldn't decide which.

"My mother died when I was young and I was the only child. My father was a drunk and he had temper he used to unleash upon me. There was no one that could protect me and I didn't have enough money to see a doctor so there are many scars upon my person as well." Tsu pulled back the sleeve of her kimono and Misao could see how her wrist was bend to an awkward angle. A fractured bone had healed in wrong position.

"When I grew older he noticed that he could use me to... pay his debts." Tsu continued and Misao noticed that she had make effort to keep her voice even.

"I tried running away but they always caught me and punished me. I had already given up when Gloria-sama found me. She is foreigner. Frail and beautiful and white and they thought they could take her. She... showed them different."

"She is not human. I knew that and I saw how she killed them and took my revenge on them for me. She took their blood and then she turned to me. And she smiled and extended her hand to me and I took it. For the first time I felt safe. Even though I knew she could kill me just as easily as she killed them. And she told about these places. Here we are taken care of. They will give us a room, food and safety. In return all she asks for is that I give some blood to keep her alive from time to time."

Tsu smiled. "Of course I doubted. I was scared. Yet at the same time she smiled and I felt like I had just been saved. I was nervous as hell as she brought me here and explained about her kind. The vampires. She didn't stay here long, continuing her travels is what keeps her interested in life. But I was taken in here and everything she promised me, was awarded to me. My life here has been happier than it ever was outside. I have not left there premises after walking through the gates with her by my side."

Tsu turned her wide brown eyes to face Misao full on.

"Misao-sama, you may not know yet but one of duties you will be given after you learn to live as you are now, is protecting us. We, who live and give our blood for You, are in turn protected by You. That is why when I saw you practicing in the garden, all I could think of was that you look like someone who would fight and win to protect me, even when the sun is blazing in the sky." She laughed.

"Selfish of me, isn't it." Her brown eyes were twinkling happily. "But in return of your protection, for your efforts to provide me with a shelter, I will happily share a bit of my life with you. It is the same with all of us in here. The reasons and circumstances surround each of us are different but all of us are happier in here than outside. Most of us were saved by vampires. In one way or the other."

"Protection?" Misao asked. "From what?"

"You know that there is a race of vampires that are weaker than you? They know about there shelters and at times they try attacking here. But they have never succeeded in killing even one of us because there is usually always at least one of your kind in the town. Your mere presence here protects us. And gives us a feeling of security."

"Also some of us have been chased in our lives outside of here. Sometimes they try to get us back, to drag us out of here back into our hells. But you protect us during those times too. It is like having an army, really." She giggled a little. Then she sighed. "I fear going outside because there everyone is enemy. Even the mere thought of walking outside there gates is awfully scary. And even though I know that you could kill me with ease if you wanted to, no one in here has ever hurt me."

"Perhaps..." she twisted her fingers around the yukata. ".. I have grown weak. In here everything is provided for us. We need nothing and those who find the courage to walk outside, are free to do so. Yet no one in here wants to leave this place. Life here is easy and warm and secure..."

Tsu was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. And then smiled.

"But I am sure you know by now why Sho-sama chose to ask me. I can talk for hours. Really, feel free to interrupt me to ask more."

"You are not afraid of me?" Misao just blurted out. She was afraid of herself and what she could do, why was she not?

Tsu shook her head. "No. I know you could kill me in a second or make it last for a year. But you have not given me any reason to fear you. Forgive me for saying but when I look at you, I feel strength but it is not the kind of strength that destroys but rather strength that protects. Sho-sama said that you are doubting yourself and that is good. Because since you doubt, it shows you care. And since you care I trust you. One day, those doubts will cease and then I feel that you will be guarding us with your all. Even though you don't know us at all."

"I..." Misao was again on the verge of tears. This woman knew nothing of her and yet she spoke of her with high words and with trust she had done nothing to gain.

"So please, Misao-sama. Fight and win. I would like to see the strong light that Sho-sama saw. He has lived for over a thousand years and you are first he wanted to save so much that he placed this burden on you. He thinks very highly of you and has great trust in your strength to pull through this. So please fight. It must be hard to go through all this but you are not alone. Sho-sama will be there. And I will be there if you let me be there."

A tear slid down Misao's cheek at words that pierced through the darkness that clouded her mind.

Tsu turned to Misao and bowed deeply. "I am sorry if I said something unnecessary but..."

"No! No. It is just... unbelievable to hear such words from someone I just met... I just..." She had no words for the strange gratefulness she was feeling.

"Please, Misao-sama. Remember, shadows do not exist without light. Because there is light, shadows exist. Where there is light, shadow holds no power. So light your mind and the shadows will retreat."

They continued talking for an hour. Misao was mainly quiet and just asked a question here and there, leaving talking to Tsu. But she learned a lot listening to the older woman. Not just about Tsu herself but about the other people, other vampires and the rules that surrounded them. It was somewhat weird to find out that there were laws and all, that vampire formed a nation in a way. They had no own land but they had their own set of rules that had to be obeyed or there would be swift and strict punishments. The more she heard, the more they sounded like humans.

When she voiced the though, Tsu laughed. "Of course! It is not that easy to discard the form you were born into."

Somehow, talking to Tsu helped her to calm her mind and gave her a lot of new information she needed to know. The woman was warm and gentle and trusted her already more than she herself did. What it created in her, was firm will to protect. To prove that she was worthy of those feelings. And that again helped her to gain balance. A reason to be here. Sho had been smart to introduce them to each other.

She felt like she had gained a friend in a way.

"Thank you, Tsu-san. And... please. Stop calling be Misao-sama. Misao or Misao-san is fine." She couldn't put her thankful feelings to words better than this.

Tsu looked at her with an apologizing look in her eyes. "I am sorry but I would rather continue calling you Misao-sama. It is your status after all, to be above us. But I am glad you feel comfortable enough with me to offer me the honor of discarding the title."

The other woman rose. "I am to do the cooking this week so I must go. If I could be any help at all, I am happy."

Misao had no words. She just nodded, trying to her best to give a real, sincere smile to her.

Judging by the gentle smile on Tsu's face, Misao's unvoiced gratefulness had reached her.

Tsu nodded before turning to leave. "Please, if you return to these part, come visit me. I will happily offer you a piece of my life."

And Misao watched as the other woman disappeared and left her to sit alone. She felt better. She had gained a first look inside this world that was comforting. Tsu didn't give her blood out of fear but out of gratitude.

She felt Sho approach. His steps made no sounds but there was something in her that resonated with him and alarmed her to his presence.

"I heard about the show you gave. " He was smiling. "The people here took a liking to you already, asking me a ton of questions about you."

She didn't answer but stared as he gave his hand to her. Somehow... hearing that made her feel warm.

"Come. You must be hungry."

And she took his hand and allowed him to pull her up.


	9. Chapter 09: Touch Me With Your Love

**Blood Wedding - Persist**

**Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own RK, not now or ever.**

**Author: Since this chapter was ready, you got a treat. Two actually since I actually sat down to correct the format of the bleach one-shot that has been sitting in my computer for a long time.**

**--**

**Chapter 09: Touch me with your love**

**Rating: PG**

**My fall will be for you  
My love will be in you  
If you be the one to cut me  
I will bleed forever**

**Nightwish - Once - Ghost Love Story**

--

Misao tried her best to keep the smiling face of Tsu in her mind as she followed Sho. His hold of her hand was tight but not enough to force her to follow. She knew that if she wanted to, she could break free.

She felt uneasy. Part of her wanted to break free and run away as fast as she could. But she had admitted to herself already that there was no place for her to run to. All she had was Sho and he was really trying to help her.

She actually felt ashamed of her actions towards him who had tried his best to help her. She had cried, fought, complained, ran... Hit and bit.

There was a small part of her that blamed him for her current state but she knew that it was this or Eternal Dark Death. At least... now she still existed.

"I am afraid neither Gin-san nor Tsu-san will be available so when I asked Hiroshi-san, he recommended Shin-san. He is one of the five males that lives in here."

She tensed slightly.

"Men tend to fare better after feeding because of their bigger bodies."

She just nodded, this was new and she made sure to store that piece of information.

"This time, I will teach you how to gain control of human mind and also how to heal the wound."

Misao stopped and pulled Sho to stop too. He turned to her with questioning look in his eyes. "Heal?" She said quietly.

Sho nodded. "If we keep slight pressure over the wound, our saliva will close it. Depending on your power it might leave a scar or will heal completely. We all differ slightly, you see. For one, my sire is gifted with power. I am gifted with speed. Of course she is not slow nor am I weak but there is this certain balance. When you have speed, it tends to drop your power slightly. Which is strange in a way since you would think that more you have power, the more you have speed. Still it seems that power hinders speed like speed hinders power."

She nodded as she listened. He had strayed from her original question but she had learned something new again. It really was a whole another world.

Sho tugged and she continued to follow after him.

"Before when you drank, I slipped into your mind and softened Gin-san's pain in your stead. Now, I want you to connect with me to watch through my mind how I do it. There are no words to use to help you realize, you need to learn it from how I do it. After that you will test it and I will guide you and make sure you do it right. Part of the reason why a man is better, is because having two people draining him, is a tiring experience."

"Tiring? Wouldn't it then be better to choose different people?" She asked, frowning slightly. If there was possible danger to the man then...

Sho laughed. "Oh, it will not be because of the blood loss. Shin-san is one of those who love pleasure. I think the main reason he stays is because there is no better pleasure than that of our bite. And according to him, all of us have a little different flavoring in the bite so he travels a lot to be bitten by as many of us as possible. All to experience pleasure."

All this talk about pleasure and experiencing it reminded her of her own bold acts last night and she found warm sneaking to her cheeks. So she could still blush. Misao wasn't sure if she liked that discovery.

The warmth died soon, leaving only cold after it. But to her surprise, she was getting used to the cold.

Sho stopped and knocked on one of the doors.

There were sounds inside and she could hear someone walking to the door. The shouji slid aside to reveal a man in his thirties. A big man. Misao could only stare up with her mouth open. This man was almost as big as Shikijou and Shikijou was the largest person she had ever seen.

He was clean shaven, not bad to look at. Brown eyes, strong nose and chin. His black hair was cut short and his clothes were clean. He had a warm smile on his lips.

"Greetings, Sho-sama. Misao-sama." He gave them a bow and stepped aside to let them inside his room. If Sho hadn't tugged her hand, she would have stood there frozen. Seeing a man this big brought back many memories of the people she had been searching for when all this had happened.

Shin closed the shouji and turned to them, still with the same smile on his lips. Misao looked at him and could almost swear that he was excited. The anticipation was shining in his eyes. She remembered Tsu's words that the people here were here for various reasons and all of their own free will.

He wanted this? He wanted to be bitten? Sho had mentioned the pleasure of the bite before but she had only felt what it was like to bite. Well, the men who attacked her had bitten her but that had been all raw pain...

"Good afternoon, Shin-san." Sho responded to the man's earlier greeting. There was a small smile on his lips. Misao stared. It was not the same cold smile that he had shown her when they had went to Gin-san. This was warm and real.

"How have you been?" Sho asked with cheer in his voice and Misao had to wonder. Were they friends? Could it be possible?

"Great!" The man laughed. "I even got to feel Gloria-sama's bite a while ago. Now that woman has some fine tooth. Pearly white and strong. A beautiful woman."

Sho looked surprised. "Gloria is in Japan? I hadn't heard. I thought she was in Korea."

Shin sat down with a loud thump. "She said she started to miss Japanese necks." He laughed.

Misao stared at them with her mouth hanging open. They were using honorifics and yet there was a feeling of understanding, friendship in the air.

The man turned his brown eyes to her. "So this the girl you chose. Young but fine hair and clear eyes. Misao-sama if I remember correctly."

Misao could just nod, completely bewildered by the situation.

"Saw you out just a while ago. Some fines moves you got there."

"Thanks..." she answered hesitantly, not quite sure what to think.

"You ninja?" He said with his strong voice stressing the words. She blinked at the sudden question.

"..Yes. I am... I mean was." Was she still or had that changed too? How far a part this has pulled her if she knew so little of herself?

The man laughed and Sho stared at her with wide eyes. "A ninja?" He asked and Misao nodded hesitantly.

"Sho, you didn't know? Just a look at those moves of hers, those blades she hides in her... You call those clothes?" He seemed to have relaxed completely, dropping the honorifics.

Misao could just nod. "They are... easy to run and fight in."

The man laughed again and it was warm laughter, completely relaxed and completely accepting. She could understand why Sho had smiled at him warmly. He was a friendly type.

"I just love that bow at your back. It must be easy to hide those throwing knives in there."

She just nodded. "I am missing few kunai though."

She noticed Sho shaking his head before bursting into laughter. She was mesmerized by the sound., so clear, warm and cheerful.

"I noticed the blades but I though that since she was traveling alone, she had them for self-protection." He shook his head. "I am so slow." But there was nothing negative in his voice.

She found a small smile creeping on her lips seeing him so happy.

The smile dimmed as she took a look at Shin and noticed the numerous white dots etched onto his skin. Marks of those who had bitten him. Yet he had nothing hiding them, unlike the other people here who had different decorations or scarfs wrapped around their necks.

"So I heard I will be your testing piece." His brown eyes searched hers and she couldn't turn away. She nodded slightly. He just laughed. "Can't wait to see what kind of feelings a girl like you can arise."

She blinked. "You want me to bite you?" She asked in complete disbelief.

Shin nodded. "Of course. That's the whole point of me being here in the first place. This here--" He pointed at Sho. "-- assured me that by coming here I will be able get a taste of many different kinds of pleasures without bothersome worries like pregnancies or laws."

He laughed and leaned against the wall. "He was right. I have been here for few years and already I am sure I'll never leave. I am just so addicted to your bites and the feelings they give me."

Misao was stunned. She pointed at the man and turned to look at Sho with her mouth open and no sound coming out.

Sho looked embarrassed even. "Well, we happened to cross roads and I told him that this path was better than the one he was considering." There was finality in his voice that told her clearly that she shouldn't ask more questions even if she wanted to.

"Alright, let's get to business then!" The man said eagerly, like a child reaching for his favorite candy.

And she had a feeling that she was that candy.

Her eyes widened as she realized that she probably feared the man more than he feared her. The thought was laughably but true. She was his candy. And she couldn't but wonder about their innocent seeming words. What kind of path had this man been walking on?

"_Misao?_"

She jumped and turned to Sho. The voice had sounded in her head, not in her eyes. He smiled.

"_Relax. I just touch the surface of your mind. But we do need to get a deeper connection so that you can observe me and what I do. You think you are ready?_"

She took a deep breath, stole a glance at their eager donor and nodded. Sho smiled and came to her, locking their eyes. She remembered the one time she had almost drowned in them and braced herself.

Suddenly, shudder run through her. If felt as if someone had slid a finger across her mind, sending ripples all over it. Sho's eyes were clear blue, as if water. And ripples run across them.

The opening was small, tender touch and she felt herself completely surrounded by Sho. His presence was everywhere and it was steady, warm pulse that echoed through her.

She allowed it without fighting back even though it felt foreign. She trusted him.

Misao closed her eyes like he told her without words. Suddenly she had a feeling of separation from her flesh. Without opening she saw but not through her own eyes, through his.

She could feel his presence wrapping her in a safe blanket and then his, their, eyes turned to Shin who was still looking at them with anticipation.

And as Sho moved, she could feel the power, speed that was locked inside him. Even with the sun up, he had power. She could feel it and had to wonder what he could do with this kind of immense amount of power.

Not just body, mind too.

He was awesome.

She was struck by his power and momentarily almost lost her connection with him but he quickly re-established it, silently scolding her for not paying attention. He was now kneeling before Shin but since the man was so big, he had to lean forward, hand finding support on Shin's chest.

She felt the surge of power as his teeth grew out but unlike with her, there was no unfamiliarity nor burning in the eyes. He was at ease, comfortable within his flesh.

And as he sank his teeth into the man's neck, she expected to be washed away by the shear pleasure of it. But instead she found that he stopped it and reversed it. She could feel his mind taking hold of Shin's and feeding those pleasurable feelings to him.

She could still feel some but it was amount that made it possible to control how much blood was taken. Sho's mind was like a mirror, reflecting most of the feelings back to him.

And Shin was shaking, his eyes closed and mouth open. There was a look of absolute bliss on his face and she could understand it. She could almost touch the pleasure that Sho was sending to him.

Then Sho let go, and again a different twist took her attention. He was holding his tongue over the wounds and a small trickle of power leaked from his mind to Shin's neck and the skin wound itself back together.

Then he, they, pulled back. "_Understand now?_"

The words were clear, echoing in her mind. Misao nodded but it was the feeling that reached him.

"_Good. Your turn._"

And she found him pushing her from his mind, showing her how it was done so she could retreat on her own. He still maintained small control of her but when she opened her eyes again, she was in her own body.

It felt cold, weak and pathetic after she had just felt the power that run in his. He laughed in her mind. "_In time. In time young one._"

It still felt like cheating.

Misao turned her eyes to Shin, who was still breathing hard. His eyes were wide and the smile on his lips was predatory. She felt like she was the lamb and he was the wolf. It made approaching him easier and when her teeth grew, her eyes burned, she didn't hesitate.

Sho had shown her how to do it and Shin wanted it. And just in case she couldn't make herself a mirror, she felt Sho's reassuring presence in her mind, ready to correct her mistakes.

Misao bit down hard and felt the wave of pleasure attacking her, threatening her control. As fast as she could, she imagined a mirror in her mind, a power to reflect. She felt the wave changing direction, attacking him.

He was shivering and convulsing under her hands but she kept drinking. At some point when she had been more closely connected to Sho, he had taught her how much she could take safely. She didn't even realize it until now, as she was drinking the sweet living blood.

Misao found that now that she could control it, it was somehow easier. She knew that she wasn't hurting him, knew when to stop. She could stop now that she wasn't overrun by the pleasure. She was herself and in control of the situation.

Reaching his limits, she pulled her teeth from his flesh and he hissed. Pressing her tongue over the wound, she mimicked the twist that Sho had done. It was hard trying to touch her power and to separate a small river of it. Sho was there in the background but he didn't help. Just observed.

She finally managed to direct small amount of power to the wound and felt it knitting together. She pulled back. It would leave a scar, even she knew that. She felt slightly disappointed.

"_No need to. Some old ones can't do more than that no matter how much practice they have. In some years, I think you might be able to heal without leaving a scar. It is a gift and you may have inherited it from me._"

Indeed, there was no sign of Sho's earlier bite.

"Oh, dear gods in heaven!" Shin groaned and placed his hand on his neck even though it didn't bleed. His pupils were entirely dilated and Misao could smell his arousal.

She refused to look down and see his wet pants. Sho was laughing in the back of her mind and at the same time congratulating her. His wordless pride at her success made her feel warm inside. She was sure he could feel it as the following sensations felt very much like a hug even though it was entirely in her mind. Like a hug but not quite, a much more intimate connection.

"You!" Shin was pointing at her and his hand shook. "Make sure that you visit me every time you are around here. Heck, for that I could follow you and be your permanent donor."

He laughed. "You made me explode and ruin my pants."

Misao took a quick glimpse and just as quickly made sure her eyes rested on something... safe.

Sho laughed and it was not in her mind. She almost missed the feel of him there but refused to show it.

"That's not a bad idea." He said and Misao turned to him. "Sho?!"

The look in his eyes was entirely too innocent. "What? He is a man in good shape, good blood and for that he would protect you during the day when you are still vulnerable."

"Bloody bones, for that I would do just that. So if you need any help, call on me anytime anywhere. Man, that was great. Bloody magnificent."There was fevered fire in his eyes and she was uncomfortable suddenly. Their comments about his search for pleasure were clear on her mind. If he was not here... How would he go about on the quest for pleasure? She really didn't want to know.

Sho exchanged few more words with him before they left.

Misao went to their room and sat down. She buried her head in her hands and breathed calmly. She had done it.

She had bitten a human again. Yet this time... it hadn't been so bad. She knew that he had wanted it, enjoyed it and wanted more. She had been able to control herself and the amount she drank.

She felt good now. Relaxed and almost... normal. There was warmth even if it didn't quite reach her inner cold. There was power. Nothing compared to Sho but enough to make her feel stronger than ever as human.

Sho.

Hiroshi-san. Gin-san. Tsu-san. Shin-san.

They had all taught her something. None of them had rejected her, rather welcomed her as she was. She was the one who hadn't been able to accept herself. They were fine with things as they were, she was the one fighting.

But today, she had learned a lot. But perhaps the most important lesson had been just now, in Shin's room.

Her need for blood would never disappear.

There was no way around it. No way at all. She knew it now and without hesitation she accepted it. She didn't want to drown in her tears any more.

But she swore to herself there and then that she would never take blood from the unwilling.


	10. Chapter 10: Reveal to me my true name

**Blood Wedding - Persist**

**Summary: She swore she would find him. But as she turned, it was not he she was looking at. In a battle against a beast it is hard to stay human.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own RK, not now or ever.**

**Author: This one is pretty much over with this one. Just a small epilogue left and  
****this part is over. **

**------**

**Chapter 10: And reveal to me my true name  
****Rating: PG**

**Bring me home or leave me be  
****My love in the dark heart of the night  
****I have lost the path before me  
****The one behind will lead me**

**Nightwish - Once - Ghost Love Score**

* * *

The sun had set.

Misao was sitting on the roof of the house, looking at the stars. She remembered the countless of nights that she done this back on Kyoto, always wondering if Aoshi-sama was staring at the same stars as she was.

And she wondered the same thing even now.

There was a small breeze running around, ready to tussle her hair. She had freed it from the convenient braid and allowed the long stresses to surround her. She had even comped through it which had been a major pain. For a while she had just considered cutting it short but she had been growing it ever since Aoshi-sama had left. It still felt wrong to cut it.

She felt the people in their rooms, getting ready for bed. But they didn't awake the bloodlust in her. She was sated and knew it would last for about three to four days before she would feel hunger again. A week before she absolutely had to drink. How she knew this now, she couldn't put to words. There were many leftovers, bits of information, from the connection with Sho.

Sho's blood had been only a minor help, Gin's had broken the starvation but it was Shin's that had chased away the hunger. Of course if she engaged in something that took a lot of energy, the hunger would return sooner.

She had to learn to cherish the blood they gave her and stop useless visits to sunny places.

Misao sighed and directed her eyes back to the cloudless sky. The stars were still the same as before. Probably nothing had changed, just she was different. And she could no longer see the world as same.

Her sight was flawless and her hearing was sharper. It had grown too sharp in her opinion as she could hear the rustle of clothes from the room under her. Because of the ninja training she already had a shaper hearing than most people, now she could probably hear better than animals. It could be a great asset or just a pain in the butt.

But thanks to it, she heard his clothes before she felt him close.

Sho was probably worried about her. It was no wonder considering how she had reacted after she had bit Gin. It was nice to have him worrying about her, caring about her. It made her all warm inside. Without him, she would have given up already.

He didn't try to sneak up on her, just came up there and sat next to her. He probably knew that she would hear him coming even if he tried to be silent.

"I had many guesses considering your clothing but ninja was not one of them." He said cheerfully.

She turned to look at him and not even her stern face could quiet his cheerfulness.

Misao sighed and smiled a little. "Yeah. Most people I meet never seem to believe me when I tell them. I guess I am too small... or just the fact that I am a woman. Or there is just something in me... unfit to be a ninja and everyone can sense it."

Her words were bitter, reflecting her thoughts. She hoped that he would stay quiet but knew he wouldn't.

"Could you tell me about it? About your life?" There was a pleading undercurrent in his voice and she considered it. Somehow she had a feeling that he wasn't asking because he wanted to know but perhaps because he wanted her to remember. There really was no harm in telling him though and she kind of wanted to talk about it anyway. At least.. about the happier times.

"I... My grandfather was a great shinobi and the ruler of our clan, oniwabanshu. He died when I was real small, so did my parents. After my grandfather passed away, Aoshi-sama took his place as our leader. I was only a child at the time but he too was only 13 years old. But he stood there and when he commanded, everyone obeyed. It was awesome. I admire him so. Aoshi-sama is incredibly strong and very smart. He took care of me after my family had died. He and his friends."

Nostalgia filled her. "Beshimi. He is small and could easily spy on others. He taught me how move silently. Shikijou is very tall power fighter. Even bigger than Shin-san. Hyottoko used to breath fire for me. He is a big man too, though round more than tall. He always made the summer festivals so much more interesting. I... have never feared fire because he made it seem natural and friendly. Just something I shouldn't play with."

She stopped and her smile grew. "Hannya is Aoshi-sama's best warrior. People are always afraid of him because he wears this white demon mask. Yet behind it, he has a kind heart. He taught me kenpo and even after they left I tried to keep up my skills though others wouldn't teach me."

She paused and Sho pondered. "Left?"

Misao nodded. "I was six. Asleep and when I woke, they were gone. They left me with Okina, one of the senior members. I remember I cried. I wanted to go with them. I actually tried running after them but I was caught before I had crossed the street. Running away from a house full of shinobi when you are six years old is a challenge. Okina. Omasu. Okon. Shiro. Kuro. None of them could foresee me running away again and again after I grew older. Even now..."

Misao pulled one of her trusted kunai from her obi. "They didn't want me trained. The times are changing, the time of shinobi is becoming just a memory. I know that but I still couldn't throw away the shinobi in me. Somehow.. I felt that if I cut that part of myself away, then I would lose my connection to Aoshi-sama."

"And perhaps a piece of yourself..." Sho muttered silently and Misao nodded, hearing every word.

"I can't don a kimono and pretend that it is me. They tried really hard but I kept running away. I... want to find Aoshi-sama and the others. I want to travel with them, share their adventures..." The wish was still there. She bit her lips, careful not to bite through skin. It was becoming a habit even now that her vampire teeth were hidden.

"They are the most important people in my life. I love them." Her heart was breaking. She still loved them, they were still so very important to her.

Angrily she shook her head. "But I can't, can I... Not as I am now. I failed. If only I had been stronger that night..." If only she had been stronger, then they wouldn't have been able to bite her, leaving her to wait for this faith, this new form Sho bestowed upon her.

Sho pondered for a moment, perhaps noting that she didn't blame him but herself. His eyes on the stars the cloudless night eagerly showed to all who bothered to look. Then he seemed to have organized his thoughts and turned his gaze upon her. "Why not?"

"What?" Misao stared at him with wide eyes filled with hurt.

"What is stopping you from searching them out? What stops you from returning home?" There was no lie in his eyes. Only sincere question.

"What are you talking about?! Of course I can't appear before them as I am now!" She yelled at him. What kind of game was he playing now? Twisting a knife in her heart with ease. He should understand how much his words and promises of future, that would never come, would hurt her.

"Why not? Why should you tell them that anything has changed?"

"What...?" There was sense in his words. She hadn't even though about it that way, just deemed it impossible from the start. But it was true that if she never told them anything... they might never know.

"As long as you keep your fangs hidden and red tears in check, no one will think of you as anything other than human. You can always feed in secret and there is no reason for them to know that could punch holes to walls if you wanted to." He was smiling kindly and explained like to a child.

Misao just stared at him, her mouth hanging open.  
Was he telling her to hide what she was and just go...

"Misao. When you spoke of them, your eyes sparkled. Your mouth curved into a smile and your words were... carefree. The way I see it, your happiness lies with them. What is stopping you?"

There was fire in his words and she drank the hope they gave to her.

"You died. Yes, you rose up as a person who needs blood to live and has strength enough to overcome an army. Well, perhaps not yet unless it is small army. That shouldn't stop you from being happy. We are dead so we live until someone brings Eternal Dark to us. My years are not counted in tens or in hundreds but in thousands. You think that living forever is any fun without happiness? I don't think we are undeserving of it. We are just... different. Sure we need blood. But there are people you give it out of their own free will. We don't need to kill humans to live."

He took a tight hold of her shoulders. "We don't need to kill to live!" His eyes were serious and powerful. She trembled at the power he held, felt it on her skin and deep beneath... They seemed to be lit with blue fire.

And as looked into those pools of liquid fire, she had to listen to his calm strong voice. It was his command. "Misao. Please. Go find your sparkle, your life. Just remember that you don't age and you are fine. I know that going there for few years may not be enough and may just leave you wanting for more. But you are young so I would say that for 3-5 years you can easily pretend that nothing has changed. And find your family again." And perhaps your happiness and joy as well, his voice seemed to be whispering.

He took her head between his hands and gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Think about my words. Find your love. Your happiness. Your hope." He whispered and left her alone with her thoughts.

And she thought.

She had automatically presumed that she had to leave everything behind now, that there was no way she could ever appear before them ever again. She was dead, a corpse with a spark of life in it. How could she ever face them proudly? Hadn't she lost that right when she lost her life?

Yet Sho didn't think so. He thought it was possible and wasn't it him that had more experience? Who had lived like this for over thousand years? If he said it was alright, that she would be fine...

Would it be alright?

Could she do it? Lie to their faces as if nothing was wrong, nothing had chanced?

She had always been a poor liar, caught every time she tried to lie or hide her bad doings. Now she would have to lie about everything! Strangers were one thing but to her family...

Misao was not ignorant. She knew that shinobi lied, stole and killed. Yet she had always been taught to honor life and honesty. Of course, she had tried out her pickpocketing skills once or twice and didn't feel that bad about taking things from someone.

But taking a life was another thing. There was always someone left mourning and she hated the thought she might be the reason of someone's tears.

Sho had assured her that she didn't need to kill to live. And shinobi took lives for lesser reasons. Shinobi lied. Shinobi killed. She should have been prepared for it all.

What was holding her back?

She had never killed. Lied yes but pretty much always got caught. And even now, Sho had said she didn't have to kill. Everyone was protecting her, just like everyone always had.

No one wanted her to get dirty but she had been dirtied now. To appear before her family, she would have to learn how to act pure again.

Could she do it? And if she could, would she do it? Did she even want to do it?  
Would she return?

She realized that she wanted to. Desperately. There was nothing she wanted to do more. At least, to see them one... last time...  
So it all returned to that wish.

Misao smiled. She did want to see them. She wanted to return if not for the rest of her days then at least for while.

Was she ready to lie to them?

Yes, she was. If she could see them, protect them, help them... And find Aoshi-sama.

She really wanted to see his blue eyes again, see a smile curving his lips. His smiles were always small and hard to spot. She wanted to see it again. And not only him.

Misao wanted to see all of them, the people that had brought her up. Even if it would be just for a while... Just few years.

She still had a chance. She could still... live. It would be a lie and she would be forced to lie to her friends and to herself too. Pretend for probably years and then... She would lose it all again.

Was it worth it?

She would have to leave them sooner or later to avoid being found out. So it was like putting her already battered heart in the line of fire... But before goodbyes, she might have a chance to nurture her heart to a better health, pull back the pieces and...

Be whole again.

There was much to lose, much to gain. It was a gamble and she had never been fond of betting anything of value to possibly gain something more.

It often left you with nothing.

Yet now...

It was a gamble but there was no direction in her life anyway. She didn't know what she would do if she didn't do this. She also had a feeling that if she cowered and hid now, she would end up regretting it later on.

And there were many years before her. Living them with a regret in heart wasn't her desire.  
She would have to take a chance and bet her heart, her friendship and her love. She might lose it all or gain something more. Or at least be left with something more than she had now.

All she had to do was be brave. She didn't feel very brave now but she couldn't give up on the last chance to live. To love.

Misao looked at her hand and fisted it. "I guess this is it then. Lies, deception... and yet if there is a chance to make it all worth it..."

She stood up. "I'll take my chance. I want my life back."

Her decision made, Misao jumped from the roof, walked to their room and pulled back the shouji. Sho was reading a book, a small light next to him giving light.

She walked to him and knelt before him. She took a deep breath and just blurted out her decision.

"All I have left is my search. If I stop here, there will be no meaning in my life."

And Sho smiled, threw the book aside and pulled her into his arms. She accepted his embrace and so his support of her decision. He wouldn't abandon her even if she took this path.

It warmed her heart and soul.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

While Misao was impatient, she was also realistic and didn't bolt out immediately. Or so she would like to think but the truth was that she needed time to prepare herself and was using Sho as a shield. He had ordered her to stay with him for a few days before leaving.

So she spent couple of days listening to all the instructions Sho had to give to her. The locations of the Pact-houses, the laws she should never break. The information about some vampires he knew were in Japan at the moment. She listened and tried to absorb it all.

She also, reluctantly, drank herself full before leaving. It was easier to control the feelings but she regretted the teethmarks she left behind. Almost like Shin, this woman too was more than willing to share her blood with Misao. It still bothered her. Their ease, their trust.

Finally the sun had set and she was ready to set out again.

"Here." Sho extended his arm and placed the garment in hers. "To keep you warm." He was smiling gently at her and Misao found smiling back easy. A gift. She touched the mantle gently and rubbed the fabric. High quality, even she could tell.

Her smile widened and for the first time in a seemingly long time, she felt the familiar warmth of happiness in her chest. To give her warmth indeed.

"Thank you." She said, her voice threatening to break. Even if she never learned to accept herself wholly, even if none of her friends would accept her, he would. She could always rely on him to be there for her. The sense of security it created, she would cherish it.

"Thank you!" She jumped to him and hugged him tight. Perhaps... there was a bit of hope after all.

Wrapping the mantle around her shoulders and throwing her back over the left one, she stepped outside the Pact-house. The night was still young, the sky clear and full moon was shining on her.

She took a deep breath and walked outside like a child taking her first steps. There was hesitation, there was fear and pain. But above all, she had hope. A small flame warming her and pushing her forward.

Step by step to walked to a future she could never imagine would hold so much more pain, quilt, friendship and love.

And above all acceptance.


	11. Chapter 11: Live to tell the Tale

**Author:** Epilogue/preview... This can be considered as both. I am not sure if I will continue this with a sequel (or two) but if I will, this will be preview of it. Since the fic is not planned/written yet, some parts of this may change or be deleted but for now they are what I have in mind for it. If I never will continue this, then this spells the ending of this angsty fanfic I simply loved to write. No plot, just a mess of emotions.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Epilogue: Live to tell the Tale**

**Chains of Sun: Preview**

**Rating: PG**

**Dark chambers of my mind  
Locked around the neck of my love  
None of you understand  
And it doesn`t matter  
To a broken marionette like me **

**Nightwish - Once - Live to tell the Tale**

* * *

****

-Autumn of 16th Year of Meiji Era-

The darkness had settled comfortably all around the town, embracing everything like a blanket. The sun had disappeared from sight already hours ago and the night ruled the city of Tokyo. While most of the population was safely tugged away in their beds, few still wondered around the streets. They were no strangers to darkness.

Sanosuke yawned and rubbed his neck tiredly. He had partied for most of the day today and all of yesterday with his friends. He had just recently returned to Japan from his 'all-the-way-around-the-world'-tour as he called it. He had known that the government wouldn't forgive and forget so easily so he had been very careful but apparently the fact that Tani Sanjuro was imprisoned for taking brides and abusing his power had somehow overwritten his charges. Sanosuke didn't know if Kenshin had anything to do with it and preferred not knowing. He just considered himself lucky. Stranger things had happened.

He yawned again and continued with his steady steps towards the the dojo. He was a little drunk but he knew not to drink himself so silly that he would be lost in the city most familiar to him. It was good to be back in Japan after so long he thought as he looked around in the dark. He had missed his friends and Japanese food. It felt like it had been much longer than it had truly been. Kaoru and Kenshin were married now and they had a child called Kenji. That was to be expected. He was actually surprised that they didn't have more little Kenshin's running around. Yahiko was developing some serious feelings towards Tsubame, though Sano didn't know if Yahiko himself knew. Megumi was living in Aizu as a doctor, or so he had heard. He had yet to see her again.

He shivered lightly. The night was surprisingly cold and the wind blew easily through his thin clothes. He hurried his steps a little, the sooner he would get to the dojo, the sooner he would feel warm again. His steps echoed in the quiet streets and he could only see few people. The quietness made the streets more menacing and scary, but Sanosuke had confidence that he would be able to take care of himself no matter happened.

He was just turning to the road leading to the dojo when his ears caught some disturbing voices. Against the silence of the night the voice had sounded unnatural and he could feel it in his bones. Something had happened. He stopped and strained to hear better. Yes, someone was indeed yelling for help with a voice strained to its peak.

He turned around fast and rushed across the streets towards the direction he had heard the voice from. Very few people were awake and all seemed to be listening to the same voice he had heard, but did nothing but stood still and looked confused. 'Someone else will take care of this, surely.' They all seemed to think. He always felt angry when he saw people like that, but then again the people who walked around at this hour were hardly ever trustworthy or helpful.

The streets were dark and since the woman was no longer yelling, he had nothing to follow to find her. He cursed but continued looking. Jogging along the roads and alleys he searched but found nothing. He cursed again, but no matter how long and hard he searched, he didn't find her. If only he had been a little bit closer...

He hit the closest wall hard and then sighed. There was nothing he could do now.

He started walking back to the dojo, but made sure to keep his eyes open. No matter how careful he was, he almost missed it. A small leg that was barely visible. He started and stopped. Slowly he walked closer and when he saw a sluggish shape of a woman, he ran. She was leaning against the wall with her brown eyes staring into nothing. The frozen look of horror on her face was enough to tell the tale.

As he leaned closer, he could see what he had already suspected. She was dead.

Like a doll she was staring before her with a set face. Her black hair only stressed her paleness. She had been a pretty woman and was so even now. As Sanosuke leaned to close her eyes, he noticed that her skin was still warm. She had not been dead for long which confirmed his doubts that this woman had been the one screaming a while ago. Now kneeling next to her he noticed that there were no signs as to why she had died. No blood stained her simple green kimono, no handprints colored her neck and that meant she had not been strangled either. All he saw were teeth marks and a little trickle of blood on her neck, but the wound was too small to die from. It had been a violent death, of that he was sure. Her horror stricken face and the pleading scream for help confirmed that.

"A murderer!"

Sanosuke started and looked behind him in surprise. A group of teenage boys was standing behind him, staring at him with wide eyes. From their clothes Sanosuke could tell that they were probably middle-class boys who were having fun drinking themselves unconscious and in their drunken state had followed the same voice he had. They were all pointing at him with horror on their faces and he realized that they had meant him with their one worded statement.

"What? I am not--" He said and rose from his knees. The boys yelled in fear and ran away screaming for cops the instant they saw him move. "Shit!" Sanosuke said whole heartedly. The sound of steps was coming closer and he knew. He was in deep shit. *_And I just came back too!_*

* * * * * * * * * * * *

9 days later...

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Misao sighed and dropped the letter from her hand. She wanted nothing more than to rip the letter into pieces and forget what it said by pounding her head against the table but since doing neither would help or solve the situation, she merely sighed and asked 'why?' without even knowing who the question was directed at.

She had hoped that this day would never come but it seemed that once again Fate was against her.

_Misao-chan!_

_How do you do? It has been a while since we last saw  
__and I truly hate having to send this letter to you  
__but we need your help. The help of Oniwabanshu actually.  
__In the night two days ago Sanosuke (he returned couple  
__of days ago, but I have been too busy to write before now)  
__was involved in a murder. He merely found the body  
__but the police is sure that he is the murderer._

_Saitou-san helped Sano out of jail but they are still investigating  
__the murder with him as a prime suspect. To prove him  
__innocent we must find the one who did this  
__and for this we need your help. You are experts at  
__shadow operations and information gathering._

_Also you have much more resources than we have._

_At this point we do not know much but in this letter  
__is every bit of information we have.  
__Sanosuke heard a scream while walking to the dojo  
__and went to investigate, but he was too late.  
__The murderer had already left and all he  
__found was a body leaning against a wall.  
__The victim was a woman. Her name was Iwabashi Eiko  
__and she was 27 years old and married to Iwabashi  
__Yasuhiro. They have no children.  
__Her husband is out of town and has yet to return._

_He could be called a suspect but Saitou-san thinks  
__that he might be innocent since he has been out of town for  
__over a week._

_She was wearing a simple green kimono decorated  
__with circles. According to Sano she was quite beautiful  
__but he cannot describe her face any further than that.  
__Her hair was black and long, her eyes brown and  
__Sano said that her eyes were wide with horror when  
__he found her which means that she probably died  
__quite fast. Surprisingly, she was already pretty cold when he found her._

_The problem is why she died._

_Sanosuke was released because they could only tie him  
__to the location but not to the woman. The other reason  
__was that they could not tell why she died. She was neither  
__stabbed nor sliced. Her body had no marks of strangulation.  
__The doctor said that her unnatural paleness was due to  
__a huge blood loss but there was no blood on the ground or  
__on her. She had no wounds on her that could have lead to her  
__bleeding to death._

_Since they can't find a logical solution for her death,  
__they are eager to blame Sanosuke and claim that under  
__pressure he will reveal how he did it._

_All of this is based on Sanosuke's words since when  
__Kenshin asked to see the body with Megumi (you should  
__have seen her face when she saw Sano and found out  
__that he is already in trouble...) the body was already gone._

_No one in the police moved the body so they blame that  
__on Sanosuke as well. According to them he is hiding the  
__evidence. _

_We have tried to find out more but were are stuck. The  
__police are putting a lot of pressure on us as well as  
__on Saitou-san as he is the one keeping Sanosuke from jail  
__with his influence and status._

_We truly need your help.  
__Please, come to Tokyo._

_I will be waiting for your reply._

_Kaoru_

There was a clear change in the handwriting.

__

They do not want to include it since they find it  
_irrelevant but the woman was wounded. On her  
__neck were teethmarks and two small wounds that  
__bled. It is not enough to kill a person but I thought  
__you should know all the details._

_Sano_

She stared at the fallen letter and cursed all that dictated future and the fate of the living and the dead. There were so many people living in ignorance never wiser, so of all the people in the world, why had they encountered the secret of the night? Why was the fate torturing her so?

Her eyes burned and her vision blurred. She took a deep breath and swallowed down the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. As always, she would have to endure. Take happiness where she could and suffer all that was thrown at her. She had long since learned that self-pity, sadness and depression did not create anything but a broken person. She would stand tall and face the cruel fate cursed on her with dignity and strength.

Still she hoped she would not be as alone in her fate as she was. The people she called family, the people she called friends... None of them knew her truth. She had hidden it so well that they never noticed anything at all. She hunted in the dark, hidden from their watchful and yet so blind eyes. She ate and laughed with them, hiding her true hungers behind her mask. She would not, could not, ever let them learn to see through her barrier. She had to protect them from the harsh truth. She loved them too much to let them suffer as she had.

Misao picked up the letter and stood.

If they investigated too deep they would all be in danger. Himura had lost his strength and given everything to Yahiko who was still much below his level and fought to disarm and defeat without killing. Sanosuke was too rash and jumped at the enemy too eagerly and in this battle his fists were useless. Saitou was the only one that had strength and means to kill. If they found the hidden enemy they would suffer damage because of their lack of knowledge and power. They were simply too weak and unprepared to face this.

She walked out of her room heading towards Aoshi's without any hesitation in her steps.

Aoshi was perhaps the best one among them to fight against them. He was careful, powerful and he did not hesitate to kill. Given the right information he could become possibly the greatest enemy that vampires had had in a while.

She knocked on the door and pulled her lips into a smile before pulling the shouji aside.

Aoshi was sitting in his usual meditation place and seemed to be unaware of her. But she knew that he was alert all the time, even when meditating. Old habits die hard...

"Aoshi-sama, I got a letter from Kaoru-san and it seems that they need our help in Tokyo." She walked across the room and sat beside him. Slowly he opened his eyes and turned to look at her. As always when their eyes met, she felt the excitement take over. The blood that circulated in her veins took up a faster pace and her hunger for physical closeness felt almost overpowering. But she allowed none of it to show. _*I have grown good at pretense and hiding.* _She thought bitterly.

He held out his hand and she laid the letter on it, making sure that their hands did not touch. To touch the perfection before her would be a mistake. She was unsure if she could take that one touch and be satisfied. Most likely she would grave for more touches, more warmth that emitted from his body. The scent around him lured her to touch him, to have him and she bit her cheek just enough to make it bleed. The sting of pain and the taste of blood in her mouth always distracted her when she was about to lose control.

He read the letter fast and then handed it back to her. "Do you intend to go?" He asked with his emotionless tone and she nodded.

"Yes."

For the better or for the worst, she would go.

-The End-

* * *

**Author: **Whew... I finished a fic. Hurray! It has been a while since last finished one. Whether or not I will make a sequel depends on my mood because for it I actually need a plot.

If I stay inspired, this is how it will go.

Blood Wedding – Persist : The beginning. Set before RK. DONE.  
Blood Wedding – Survive : More angst for people. Setting unknown, after Persist before the Chains of Sun. Short.  
Blood Wedding: Chains of Sun : Includes everyone from Kenshin-gumi, set after the colored manga. Will have an actual plot and won't be so centered around Misao. This chapter is this fic's prologue.

Of course, the one-shot Blood Wedding (the last of all) may be written, closing the past and showing a piece of the future.

I must thank Nightwish from the bottom of my heart. Their music helps me in more ways than some could imagine. I simply love it.

This fic too was inspired (in a way) by them. While I think that Century Child is their best record so far, Once was what inspired me with this fanfic and its themes seemed to fit it well. So, I took lyrics from it and they belong to them and whoever holds their rights (Tuomas Holopainen most probably).

I do not own any Nightwish lyrics I put up with this fic. I just love them to death.

Http :// www . Nightwish . Com

That is their webpage where they have all lyrics. Remove the spaces. ^^

Umm... I actually have nothing more to say. I hope you enjoyed this crazy ride and big thanks to those few that gave this reviews.

Just for fun I gathered the lyrics I put in this fic here.

Chapter01:

A single grain can tip the scale  
Amidst the burden the scale will prevail  
Showing what`s worth being here  
Storyteller by a hearth of stone

Nightwish - Once - Live to tell the Tale

Chapter02:

The story behind the painting I drew is already told  
No more tearstains on the pages of my diary  
Tired but unable to give up since I`m  
Responsible for the lives I saved

Nightwish - Once - Dead Gardens

Chapter03:

Oh how I wish  
For soothing rain  
All I wish is to dream again  
My loving heart  
Lost in the dark  
For hope I`d give my everything

Nightwish - Once - Nemo

Chapter04:

Red Sun rising  
Drown without inhaling  
Within, the dark holds hard  
Red Sun rising  
Curtain falling  
Higher than hope my cure lies

Nightwish - Once - Higher Than Hope

Chapter05:

Temporary pain, eternal shame  
To take part in this devil`s chess game  
Spit on me, let go, get rid of me  
And try to survive your stupidity

Nightwish - Once - Romanticide

Chapter06:

Deep into a dying day  
I took a step outside an innocent heart  
Prepare to hate me fall when I may  
This night will hurt you like never before

Nightwish - Once - Wish I had an Angel

Chapter07:

Last dance, first kiss  
Your touch my bliss  
Beauty always comes with dark thoughts

Nightwish - Once - Wish I had an Angel

Chapter08:

A dead world  
A dark path  
Not even crossroads to choose from  
All the bloodred  
Carpets before me  
Behold this fair creation of God

Nightwish - Once - Planet Hell

Chapter09:

My fall will be for you  
My love will be in you  
If you be the one to cut me  
I will bleed forever

Nightwish - Once - Ghost Love Story

Chapter10:

Bring me home or leave me be  
My love in the dark heart of the night  
I have lost the path before me  
The one behind will lead me

Nightwish - Once - Ghost Love Score

Chapter: Epilogue

Dark chambers of my mind  
Locked around the neck of my love  
None of you understand  
And it doesn`t matter  
To a broken marionette like me

Nightwish - Once - Live to tell the Tale

Chapter names 06-10:

Walk the dark path  
Sleep with angels  
Call the past for help  
Touch me with your love  
And reveal to me my true name

Nightwish - Once - Nemo


End file.
